The Broken Legacy: An Unexpected Beginning
by Cammie-Strone
Summary: Hatsuharu had hoped to have as normal a year of high school as he could get. But the idea is dismissed when he meets Maya Sakimoto, a girl in his homeroom who seems to be hiding something herself. Will he find more than just friendship while trying to keep a safe distance from her to hide the Zodiac curse? Haru/OC semi-hiatus
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is a re-edited version of Unspoken (now called Burden, obviously). However, the chapters I post aren't going to be the final drafts; just rough ones before I decide to properly edit them for real. I've been focusing all my creative attention to this story and I intend to for the year (there are three parts to this story and I'm working on the first part first, obv.) or at least until I have it finished and edited to where I like it. So it'd be really great to have any critism about the story. I don't care if it's good or bad. Anything to help me make it better :)**

**Now, finished with that long speil there. Disclaimer time! I don't own Hatsuharu, Momiji or the other characters. They belong solely to Natsuki Takaya. I only own Maya and the epic plot for this story :) If anyone thinks otherwise, I'll sic' Black Haru on yah! :D**

**Enjoy and remember- read and review, please! .**

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

Spring, the season of new beginnings; of changes, whether good or bad. The sakura trees blossomed into pink buds around the town, showering pedestrians who strolled beneath them. Flowers peeked their little heads from the grass that was slowly reappearing after the months of winter snow, decorating the parks, sidewalks and lawns with dots of yellows, reds, oranges, and violets. It was as though the whole world was bursting into new life and colors. One particular person who had been especially hit by spring fever was a bubbly third year high school student by the name of Tohru Honda.

This girl was the epitome of cheer, but spring always made her extra peppy; she'd always enjoyed the idea of fresh starts and exciting new school years. The day before the school began for the year, she made special lunches for herself and her two friends, Kyo and Yuki Sohma. The boys tried to help in any way they could, but after nearly catching the rice on fire, Tohru cheerfully suggested to leave the cooking to _her_. She preferred making food with as little mess as possible, and the Sohma cousins were certain to create a disaster zone if they continued.

"It's _your_ fault," Yuki accused, his effeminate voice laced with annoyance as he shot an irritated frown toward his cousin. "Everyone knows you can't leave egg shells in the mix. You make a _terrible_ cook, stupid Cat."

Riled up, Kyo jumped in front of Yuki, hair bristled and looking like an actual cat who had encountered something foul. He jabbed an accusing finger at the Prince, practically hissing.

"_Shaddup_!" Kyo spat angrily, "I wouldn't have dropped anything if _you_ hadn't elbowed me!"

Yuki sighed under his breath, expression weary and unimpressed of the Cat's outburst; he pushed past the frustrating orange head and headed toward the living room. "Don't blame your stupidity on something you can't even _prove_." This only prompted yet another argument between the two.

Verbal fights were the norm around the home of Shigure Sohma, so the other two residents had grown accustomed to hearing loud and sometimes obnoxious insults being thrown around, one after the other. Because of this, Tohru and Shigure tuned out the Cat and Rat, unless it sounded like someone was going to get hurt or the house was in danger of being destroyed. However, unlike the previous year, the threat of physical attacks was greatly downsized. Ever since Tohru faced the head Sohma about everything and he seemingly became less violent, the two boys who once wanted to tear each other's throats out were now more or less civil; they still sparred, though, which was when they went all out.

It seemed as though life for the Sohma family was going to be much better; Tohru, ever the optimist, believed with all her heart that the day would come when Akito finally and completely accepted the Cat as a true member of the Zodiac. The others remained skeptical of such a thing, but her belief didn't waver, instead becoming an unspoken pillar of hope. Not that anyone would admit that aloud.

Because in the Sohma family, all good things eventually came to an end.

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><p>The next day, as third year students at Kawaia High, the Sohmas met up during lunch break. Like always, Tohru was accompanied by her Yankee and psychic friends, Uo and Hana, as well as Kyo and Yuki. Wearing the same girl's uniform as last year, Momiji bounced beside Hatsuharu; he was ten times more energetic than usual, which meant Kyo's irritation for the blond flared up ten times worse. Unfortunately, of course, this only resulted in ten times more noogies to the German Sohma's head. Yuki and Hatsuharu watched silently and Tohru smiled weakly, knowing by now it was best not to try and stop the Cat, lest <em>she<em> get a mouthful of his temper.

"Wa-a-ah! Somebody, Kyo's being mean!" the little Rabbit whined, much to the Cat's frustration, as he rubbed his knuckles harder against the boy's temples. Crocodile tears sprang to the corners of Momiji's amber eyes, letting out wail after wail of sobs in hopes that someone would have the gall to halt Kyo's rough treatment.

"I _swear_, Momiji! One of these days!" he growled angrily between gritted teeth. The younger boy continued wailing until finally, Uo threatened Kyo to stop. The moment Kyo released his shorter cousin, Momiji brightened and smiled widely. He eagerly waved to someone behind the group; all eyes trailed to who he was greeting and Momiji bounded over to a dark-haired girl, who looked startled when he dragged her to his group. She nervously stood beside him, dark blue eyes darting between each Sohma and the others; they looked back, curious of who she was. Thankfully, Momiji laughed brightly and clung to her arm suddenly, gesturing to everyone with a wide smile.

"Everyone, this is my new friend! Her name's Maya Sakimoto and she's in my and Haru's homeroom!" Momiji explained. Maya politely waved and bowed, receiving the same from the rest. Momiji then introduced Maya to his friends and cousins. After that, Tohru began talking to the new girl and soon, everyone was treating her as though she'd always been in their circle of friends.

"I was a bit surprised when Momiji randomly started talking to me, to be honest," Maya admitted sheepishly, laughing. Beside her, the blond boy grinned as though he had done the best thing in the world. "Sure I'm a second year, but this is actually my first year at Kawaia. I haven't had a chance to make friends yet, so I was really happy when he came up to me in homeroom."

Tohru smiled cheerfully. "Don't worry, Maya. We're here for you, so if you need anything or have any questions, just come find one of us!"

Kyo sent the senior brunette a pointed look, frowning. "Hey. What are you doin', volunteering us without asking first?" he demanded. Tohru immediately began apologizing to him; Yuki sighed and ignored the orange-haired teen as he gave Maya a gentle, reassuring smile.

"Don't mind Kyo, Miss Sakimoto," he told her, "I'd be happy to help if you ever need it."

Maya returned the smile and nodded, appearing relieved at those words. The shrill sound of the bell rang then, indicating that lunch was over and afternoon classes would soon begin. Almost instantly, her arm was yanked backward by Momiji, who was already waving goodbye to Tohru and the others. Laughing, the blue-eyed girl walked alongside the blond, who was between her and Hatsuharu, arm still held captive by the energetic boy. But she didn't mind; she was enjoying the vigour he had- it was refreshing from the stuck up and superficial students in her old school, that was for sure.

"I _told _you Kyo was funny," Momiji laughed playfully and Maya nodded in agreement. He bounced and spun around to face the girl and Cow, smiling madly as though he'd just gotten a genius idea. He pointed a finger into Maya's face with a grin. "Let's all go out for ice cream after school today!" he exclaimed. Maya thought about it for a moment before nodding again.

"Alright; that sounds like fun," she agreed happily. She peered up at Hatsuharu, who had his usual bland expression on his face. "What about you, Hatsuharu?" she asked, "Will you come with us?"

The Cow thought as well, the corners of his mouth pulling down pensively, before he finally grunted softly and nodded. "Alright," he murmured. Momiji cheered loudly and waved his hands in the air with excitement as Maya giggled. Students all around stared at the trio, still trying to get used to the blond's hyperactive behaviour- and some still attempting to recover from last year's activities- but none of them seemed to care, too occupied with their own little discussion of plans.

"I want strawberry!" Momiji cried, skipping down the hallway toward their classroom, "and banana with whipped cream and cherries on top, too!"

Maya laughed in amusement. "Y'know, if you eat all of that sugar, you're bound to get a cavity or stomach ache," she told him teasingly, but Momiji simply waved a hand as though brushing her words away. Maya laughed more as they entered their classroom. Smiling inwardly, Maya went on to her desk while the gray-eyed Sohma and his cousin sat at their seats near the front. Her heart did a little skip. Her year was going to be fabulous if she'd made such great friends on her first day. The day could only continue to look up.

Meanwhile, the Sohma teens settled into their desks beside one another, and began discussing which ice cream shop to go to. At the same time, Momiji brought up Maya and his smile enlarged with glee. The Rabbit kicked his feet back and forth under his chair, which was too tall for his feet to properly touch the floor, and happily laughed.

"Maya's really nice, isn't she?" the blond asked the Cow innocently. Hatsuharu raised and lowered a shoulder in a passive shrug, his expression dead-pan. He kept his attention on the textbook he had taken out, his gray eyes spaced out. Momiji went on, trying to pry any reaction out of the punk.

"Yuki and Kyo seem to like her, too. I have a good feeling that she's going to be a great friend," he added, recalling how Maya had teased the Cat about him and Tohru, resulting in him stuttering with embarrassment.

Momiji leaned closer toward the black and white-haired boy a bit more, his grin becoming sly. "Plus, I think she's kinda pretty," he said, to which Hatsuharu made no response. Pulling back and sighing in defeat, Momiji rested his cheek on his hand and his elbow on the desk, staring at his cousin.

"Haru, you're really dull sometimes," he complained, though not serious. The stoic second-year glanced over and blinked then. "No matter what I say, you just never seem interested in any girl at school," he continued, stretching his arms in front of him over his desk. He paused, thinking for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was soft and wistful, eyes trained on his fingers. "Y'know... maybe Maya is like Tohru; maybe she won't mind our curse and would actually... _like _it, just like Tohru." Momiji turned his head to his cousin, the smile on his childlike face faint and hopeful. "Wouldn't that be _great_, Haru? I'd like that a lot. Then we wouldn't need to keep it a secret from her."

Hatsuharu stared at the little blond boy, nonplused but deep down, he was thinking the same thing. Although he knew that telling Maya about the Sohma Zodiac curse was forbidden and impossible, that small part of him- the part that longed to be a normal teen- yearned to see what it was like to have others know his family secret; to be friends with people who understood the things he did and said and why he was the way he was.

But to wish for something like that was like the Cow from the legend- stupid. He knew it would never happen, which was why he distanced himself from regular, ordinary people; why he paid no heed whenever Momiji tried to pique his interest of girls or other people. Because it was easier to deal with the pain of being alone than going through the pain of betrayal by ones close to you.

During Hatsuharu's silence, Momiji sighed once more and decided to drop the subject from. Instead, he returned to the original topic of ice cream, his mood picking up with each mention of the treat. In the very back corner of the Rabbit's mind, though, he was still wishing to do something to cheer his cousin up or put a smile on the boy's face at least. Even if that _did_ happen to include a girl not part of the Sohma family.

But for the moment, Momiji kept on cheerful topics, until the teacher finally came in and instructed everyone to settle down. Giving his cousin one final grin, Momiji turned in his seat and faced the front, preparing for Language class.


	2. Chapter 2

**I didn't mean to take so long to upload this chapter ^^;; I was kind of stuck in the middle of mid-term exams and then the hassle of buying a laptop (finally!) and trying to do some other stuff xD **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I already have up to chapter 4 written on my computer xP It's just the deal of actually posting them online.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own, Hatsuharu, Momiji or any other Sohma/Fruits Basket characters. I only own Maya and the plot xD**

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><p>Maya couldn't seem to focus on the lesson the teacher was talking about at the front of the class. It wasn't that the teacher was boring or anything- on the contrary, she was quite interesting with her anecdotes of previous classes and students. It wasn't even that the brown-haired girl didn't like the language they were learning. Sure, English wasn't her best language to speak, but it was fun trying to get the words right without slipping into her Japanese accent.<p>

No, what was breaking Maya's concentration on the case study she was supposed to be doing were the girls behind her. They were annoyingly giggling together, quiet enough for the teacher to remain oblivious to them but loud enough that Maya could hear each damn word they were saying.

"They're like _brothers_; it's so _cute_!"

"I know! Momiji is just too precious and Hatsuharu-" The girl let out a poorly held back squeal. "He's _so_ good-looking!"

"I wonder if they have girlfriends!"

Maya's grip on her pencil tightened until her hand shook, irritated at the way the girls spoke about the two Sohmas. But she kept her nose out of it; it was none of her business, what they happened to be... fan girling over.

The blue-eyed girl attempted to ignore the continuing prattle for another few minutes. Then the teacher suddenly had an emergency to take care of and the class erupted instantly into chatter, which meant the giggling girls grew louder.

"I wonder if Haru would help me with the worksheet if I asked him!"

"I wish I had your confidence, Hinako! I'd be too nervous to approach either of them."

"They can't be _that_ scary if someone like _her_ was talking to them."

Uh-oh.

Maya stopped writing mid-sentence, hearing the sudden silence from the girls. She sensed eyes on her back and slowly. Maya turned her head, nervous to meet their stares. Unfortunately, the four girls were indeed looking at her and she blinked.

One girl, with curly black-blue hair and glittering dark eyes, was giving Maya a suspicious smirk. She leaned closer to the new student, the smirk turning cat-like. Instinctively, Maya leaned away, unable to tear her eyes off any of them.

"Say, you're the new girl, right? Transferred in this year?" the girl questioned, sickly sweet. Maya nodded wordlessly. "Hm. Well, you know the two guys you walked in here with- Hatsuharu and Momiji?" Again, Maya nodded, this time glancing up to look at the boys in question, who were busy with talking and their work.

"Yeah, those guys are the hottest guys in the school-" the black-haired girl went on, only to be cut off by a slightly chubby one behind her.

"After Prince Yuki and Kyo, of course!"

The first girl waved a hand dismissively at that, keeping her dark eyes on Maya, who was becoming increasingly more wary of the group. "Yes, aside from them, but they're older so none of us have a chance with them. Anyway, since you seem to be chummy with Haru and Momiji already, we were wondering if you'd talk to them and see if they'd consider hanging out with us sometime."

For a moment, Maya just stared at the straight forward girl. She really wasn't sure what she was actually trying to pry out of her. Were they serious that they just wanted to be friends with the Sohma cousins; or was there a secret between the girls that Maya was missing? It was difficult for the brunette to read people she didn't know.

But suddenly, the girl grinned sheepishly. "Ah, I'm sorry. That probably scared you a little, having me demand you do that." She smiled warmly. "I'm Hinako," she told Maya, then gestured to the other girls. "This is Sara, Megami and Luci." Each gave a smile and wave with their names, which put Maya at ease. Perhaps the girls weren't as mean as she thought.

"Anyway, I just figured that since you seem to be friends with Haru and Momiji, you'd put a good word in for us with them." Hinako smiled sheepishly again. "They're totally hot and everything, but Haru can be... well, _really_ scary."

"Totally!" Megami, a girl with long brown hair and a look of intelligence about her, exclaimed with wide eyes. "I mean, last year when Haru yelled at Takei because he was scolding Momiji for wearing the girl's uniform? I was so scared! I thought he was going to beat the President up!"

Once again, Maya turned her attention to the Sohmas, realizing that the blond was indeed wearing the female uniform, only with shorts instead of a skirt. Cocking her head to the side, Maya frowned in contemplation.

"I think it suits him," the blue-eyed student mentioned lightly. "If Momiji wore the guy's uniform the way he is now, he'd only look like a baby playing dress up." She returned to the girls, seeing the wide-eyed looks on their faces. "What? You don't think so?"

The chubby one, Sara, shook her head. "It's just that... that's exactly what Hatsuharu said, too! The suiting Momiji thing, I mean," she said in awe.

"Even _more_ proof that you should tell them about us!" Hinako exclaimed in delight. "You think alike to Haru! He'll understand you and not get angry!"

"Although, he seems even hotter when he gets pissed, like last year," Luci piped up, receiving baffled and surprised stares from her friends. "_What_? I happen to find that fierceness attractive," she told them with a defensive sniff.

"Getting back to the original issue here," Hinako said, looking at Maya again. "It'd be great if you this for us, Maya. We've liked the two for a long time, but we're all too nervous to approach them properly."

Thinking over the 'request' in her head, Maya watched Hatsuharu and Momiji as they talked about something; Momiji was gesturing excitedly with his hands while Hatsuharu merely watched him, straight faced and placid. They seemed content the way they were, chatting with each other; Maya pictured Hinako and her friends around the boys and somehow, it just didn't fit. If they wanted others to talk to them, she was sure they would have done so by now.

Shaking her head, Maya sighed softly. "I'm not sure, Hinako. I mean, it'd be a bit strange to have a person they barely know themselves bring up other people they know even less."

Silence passed for a moment before Sara and Luci murmured in agreement; Hinako didn't look convinced, however, but Maya paid no heed to the frown on her face. Thankfully, the teacher returned at that moment and all conversations were dropped as class resumed.

But Maya couldn't shake the creeping feeling that Hinako was still staring at her. Uncomfortable, the brunette focused hard on her work until the bell rang for their next class.

Finally, school was over for the day and Maya met up with Hatsuharu and Momiji at their desks, trying not to appear too eager for the ice cream shop. As usual, Momiji was as giddy as a child on crack, and Haru was silent like a bodyguard.

"Ice cream, here we come!" the blond exclaimed happily, skipping out of the classroom. Again, people stared at him, but he didn't seem to care or notice. Maya felt like he only thought about the bright side of life and anything else simply couldn't bother him. She decided that she liked that about the shorter Sohma. Glancing over at the black and white-haired teen, Maya thought that despite not knowing much about him, she still enjoyed his quiet company. It came in handy when she didn't want to say anything; he wouldn't expect her to and she liked the thought of that prospect.

"Do you know what kind you want, Maya?" Momiji asked, snapping the second year out of her mindless thoughts. Blinking to the present, Maya peered down to the bubbly Sohma and smiled, tilting her head to the side. She didn't eat ice cream much, but when she did...

"Maybe a nice caramel with walnuts on top and chocolate sprinkles," she replied, her smile growing. After the three changed shoes and put sweaters on, they headed out of the school and toward the small ice cream shop a few blocks away. Maya and Momiji chatted about school things and about his other cousins. When they were a few feet from the shop, Haru suddenly piped up, mildly surprising Maya.

"Who were those girls talking to you in Language?" he asked plainly, his gray eyes shifting to look at Maya. She stared back; she hadn't realized he'd seen Hinako and her friends earlier. Knowing he had put a light flush of embarrassment to the girl's cheeks, darting her blue eyes to the side.

"Just some girls who were asking about the case study," she fibbed, uncertain why she covered Hinako's real intention for the transfer student. But it was too late to tell the truth, so Maya kept her mouth shut.

"Huh, I didn't think Megami would find it hard at all," Momiji commented, oblivious to the uneasy smile on the girl's face. Hatsuharu made an agreeing sound, opening the shop's door for the two; Maya nodded her thanks to him and he followed behind her.

The ice cream store was small but quaint, having the interior look like a Fifties malt shop with bubblegum pink walls and booths. There were a few people in the store already, only filling up two seats and a booth. Maya chuckled in amazement when she saw a pink jukebox, but it played modern music off some current radio station, lessening the retro feel.

While she admired the decorations, Momiji led her and Haru to an empty booth, where he instantly grabbed the stand-up menu and began reading the list of ice cream flavours aloud. Maya was glad to hear the shop had caramel and walnuts.

"I'll get the strawberry ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and whipped cream!" Momiji decided in the end, and Hatsuharu went with a simple vanilla with chocolate syrup. After a few moments, a waitress in her mid-twenties came up to their booth, her dress uniform the same pink as everything else. She chuckled when she saw the Sohma cousins.

"Well, my best customers are back," she said, giving the blond a playful wink before flicking her long brown bangs out of her dark green eyes. "Still at Kawaia, boys?"

They both nodded. "We're in our second year!" Momiji chirped with his wide smile. The woman smiled as well, looking impressed.

"_Well_!" she breathed out, then her smile turned to Haru, who peered up at her. "As popular as ever with the ladies, Hatsuharu?" At that, her eyes flickered over to Maya; the girl smiled weakly and kept silent.

"For some reason, yeah," the quiet boy replied, nodding. The waitress laughed pleasantly.

"Oh, you! One of these days, you'll realize just how handsome you are and one of your fan girls will be lucky to finally catch you," she told him as she took out a writing pad from her white apron and a pencil from behind her ear. "Alright, loves, what's for today?"

With the orders taken, the waitress left and Momiji turned to Maya, laughing brightly. She couldn't help but always smile around the boy. He was such a cheerful kid and his hundred-watt smile constantly kept her in a good mood. Another reason she liked him so much.

"Me an' Haru have been coming here after school once in a while since we found it on our way home last year," Momiji explained; Haru nodded in agreement beside his cousin. "I've tried almost every kind of sweet they have here. I'm just waiting until I save enough money to get the big bowl of ultra sweet ice cream they have! Only one more allowance and I'm there!"

Maya laughed, wondering idly how this kid could eat so much sugar and still manage to be so skinny. It would remain a Momiji secret, though, she knew. "Do your parents know you eat this stuff after school?" she asked, meaning for it to be a light tease. But she saw, only for a very quick, brief second, both boys seemed to look odd. The hyper gleam in Momiji's amber eyes went out to become dull and melancholic; his smile flickered to hold an edge of sadness. Just as fast as that happened, it returned to the blond's usual excited smile.

Haru had even gotten some emotion to cross his face, changing his blank expression to irritation. His soft gray eyes hardened to steel and he looked ready to break a few bones. But exactly like Momiji, the silent teen resumed to appear calm and cool.

Maya's heart sank, anxious that she had said something wrong or she'd hit a sensitive nerve regarding their parents. At least she knew better than to mention that topic now. She understood the feeling of not wanting to discuss parents or family in general, so the brunette refused to push the subject any further.

"I didn't mean to say something I shouldn't..." Maya murmured, eyes fixed on the shiny, pink booth table. Momiji shook his head, that obnoxious grin back on his face. It was meant to reassure the girl but it had no effect on her.

"It doesn't matter, Maya!" he told her and was about to say more when their orders came. He let out a delighted cry while Haru and Maya took theirs politely. "Let's dig in!"

With that, the three high school students ate their ice cream, the mood lifting instantly and away from family.

"So what do you think of the school so far?" Momiji questioned through a mouthful of whipped topping. The blue-eyed girl giggled at how child-like the blond looked, with ice cream on his bottom lip and a small bit of whipped cream on his cheek. Being Momiji, he was oblivious to the mess.

Taking a dainty bite from her treat, Maya nodded. "It's not that bad. I mean, so far, because of you, I've made more friends on my first day than I ever did in a week!" she told him, genuinely happy. Momiji beamed proudly.

"Tomorrow, you can join me and Haru at lunch!" the German offered, "We always sit with Tohru, Yuki and the others. They're really great; especially Tohru!" And then he proceeded to blather on about the brown-haired senior, an affectionate tone in his words and a fond sparkle in his dark honey eyes. It was obvious that the boy adored Tohru.

"Oh, and wait 'til you see Yuki and Kyo _fight_!" Momiji continued, waving his hands around with excitement. "Kyo's good, but Yuki is much, _much_ better! He might even surpass Master one day!"

Beside him, Haru faintly smiled, nearly done his frozen treat. "Yuki _is_ great, but I can't see him beating Master," he inputted in a lulled tone, pushing his dish away after his final bite. Momiji's only response was to laugh and nod.

"They learn how to fight?" Maya inquired, trying to picture Yuki fighting and only managing a thought of the gentle-toned young man using a graceful kind of style. Kyo, on the other hand, she could easily picture in a street brawl, arms and legs thrashing about wildly.

"Almost everyone in our family is being taught martial arts by Master," the blond explained, "Haru knows a bit more than me, though. He's a natural in comparison," he added, laughing sheepishly. Maya giggled and smiled.

"I'm sure you make a _fine_ fighter, Momiji," she assured him. "Though, it'd be interesting to see Hatsuharu and Yuki or Kyo in a fight."

"I'd go against that Cat any day," the punk teen said under his breath; Maya blinked in confusion at him. Did he just say... _Cat_?

"What cat?" she asked, curious. Momiji loudly laughed and bumped his cousin's shoulder, almost a bit too roughly.

"Haru called Kyo a brat all the time! We have no idea why; just another funny thing about him we love!"

Not looking entirely convinced, Maya simply let it be. "I see... Well, I'd still like to see it."

The waitress returned then and the ice cream was paid for. After leaving the shop, the three friends headed toward their homes, parting ways at an intersection. Momiji waved to Maya in the same eager way he'd greeted her at school and she waved to them both. When the girl disappeared from view, the blond slowly lowered his hand and lightly sighed. He turned to walk alongside his cousin, their pace deliberate and slow.

"I have a good feeling..." Momiji murmured, echoing part of his words from their conversation in Language class. Hatsuharu kept his gray stare forward, hands in his pockets, relaxed.

"Don't get too friendly," was all the Cow said, his bland words laced with a bit of warning. It was all he _had _to say, since Momiji smiled gently and nodded, his cheery disposition now subdued at the thought of their new friend.

"I know..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next day, as promised, Maya joined the Sohmas for lunch on the rooftop, the family's usual hang out since last year. The group chatted about their teachers and lessons from the morning and shared a laugh when Uo teased Kyo about his natural red-orange hair, to which the Cat demanded a match of Rich Man, Poor Man. The purpose of the card game was lost to everyone but Kyo, though he refused to explain, stubborn as always.

"If you're going to challenge someone to a card fight, try making the reason clear," Yuki admonished his cousin, a calm look about him as he took a sip from the green tea Tohru had brewed for everyone.

Kyo growled and whipped an agitated glare to the Rat. "Oh _yeah_, smartass? Why don't _you_ fight me, then?" he snapped. Yuki inwardly sighed but did nothing to indulge the riled up teen, which irritated Kyo to no end.

"Aw, afraid you're gonna lose to a girl, Orange-Top?" Uo taunted with a smirk, awaiting the boy to start their battle. Instantly, Kyo transferred his glare, now accompanied by a flush of frustration, to the blond Yankee.

"_Hell_ no!" he shouted, dropping himself on the roof across from the girl. "I'll show ya who's afraid! Then you have to admit that my hair is naturally this color!"

While the card fight and argument went on, Maya grinned from ear to ear, enjoying every minute of the Sohmas and their friends. There were times when she thought Kyo would actually start fighting Yuki or Hatsuharu was about to stand up and attack Kyo, but fortunately, Tohru or Uo stepped in and focused the energy elsewhere. Other than that, Maya could easily see why all the boys were considered the most popular at school.

"You really should concentrate more on your studies this year and less on your anger," Yuki pointed out after Kyo tried to begin yet another argument with him. Blanching, the cat-eyed boy wilted to the floor and fell silent. Yuki's words reminded Maya that everyone but her, Haru and Momiji were seniors. She turned to Tohru, smiling curiously.

"That's right; have you decided what you're doing after you graduate, Tohru?" the sophomore asked. The brunette next to her blinked, her cheerful expression becoming fretful and worried.

"A-ah, I still don't know!" she exclaimed, a look of hard thought coming to her face. "There's representatives coming into our classes during the day tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll find something I want to do by then."

Yuki gave her an encouraging smile. "You'll be fine, Miss Honda," he told her, which erased some of her worry. Uo sat herself down beside Tohru, after wiping the floor with Kyo in the Rich Man, Poor Man game. The blond grinned fondly and put an arm around her friend's shoulders; Hana quietly munched on the rice from her lunch.

"Knowin' Tohru," Uo said proudly, "she'll end up cleaning houses for a living; maybe she'll wind up in some rich guy's place and a romance will bloom!"

Tohru's face went tight with confusion, but Kyo instantly went on edge from the Yankee's casual words. Before he could say anything, however, Hana snapped the lunch lid shut, bringing attention to herself for a moment.

"You shouldn't say such things so easily, Arisa," the goth advised, "or else Kyo will become angry with jealousy."

While Kyo shouted at Tohru's friends, trying to deny the psychic's claim with a red face, Maya leaned to the side to Momiji, who was busy licking a red lollipop with a grin on his face. She was beginning to get lost on the relationships between everyone.

"So... Kyo likes Tohru?" she asked the blond quietly; he nodded and chuckled, leaning toward Maya as he pointed at each Sohma and girl with his brief explanation.

"He does, but he refuses to admit it to anyone- including himself. I'm sure Tohru likes him, too, but she's too innocent to realize her feelings for what they really are. Uo and Hana act like parents when it comes to Kyo and Tohru." He paused to lick his candy and Maya blinked, understanding dawning to her.

"Oh, I see," she murmured, "What about Yuki and you two?" she added, referring to the blond and his cousin. Momiji gave the second year a playful wink.

"I think Yuki liked Tohru last year, but he met this transfer student a week before we got out for summer at that point," the German told Maya as thought it was a top secret. "None of us know much of her other than Yuki seems to _really_ like her. As for me an' Haru... Well, I love Tohru and Haru loves Yuki!"

Maya jolted a bit at that declaration, eyes shifting toward the gray-eyed boy with wide eyes. She hadn't pegged Hatsuharu as the homosexual type, but it certainly didn't bother her. It was just surprising.

"But Yuki likes that other girl," Maya said aloud to no specific person. "How sad- unrequited love."

Momiji nodded once and shrugged, watching Tohru and the others as they continued making a racket. "He knows, but he can still watch him from far away. Isn't that right, Haru?"

The stoic teen briefly nodded in agreement. "If Yuki's happy, then I'm happy." He turned his eyes to Maya and for the first time since knowing him for two days, Hatsuharu smiled gently at her, his eyes reflecting something she couldn't understand yet. The smile almost made her blush, but due to the simple fact that she didn't know him well enough to know if he smiled like that to everyone or not, she didn't. Instead, the dark-haired girl smiled back and nodded at what he'd said.

Eventually, though, the bell rang for the afternoon and everyone cleaned their mess on the way inside the school. Like yesterday, Momiji bounced between Maya and Haru, chattering on about the classes they had next and how excited he was for next month, on the fifth. Looking startled for a moment, Maya stared at the chipper blond.

"Why then?" she stammered out; Momiji and Hatsuharu paused to look at the girl, amused by her shocked reaction.

"Children's Day," the punk boy replied, blank faced so Maya couldn't see the amusement he held in his eyes. Momiji nodded, lollipop stick hanging out of his mouth.

"That's right! We go to Shigure's every year to celebrate it with Hiro and Kisa," the shorter boy told the blue-eyed girl, who visibly relaxed and nodded, smiling in relief. He giggled, throwing his stick into a garbage can nearby. "Don't tell me you _forgot_, Maya!"

She hesitantly shook her head, the smile becoming sheepishly. "Not exactly..." she laughed, remaining vague on purpose. The Sohmas didn't push the topic, and entered their classroom. Momiji waved as Maya went to her desk.

"If we get a group project, you'll join us, right?" he asked her across the room. Flushing when people stared at her, Maya nodded in response and sat in her seat, getting her books out for class.

"They don't know you well, huh?"

A honey voice made Maya spin in her chair, wide eyes staring at Hinako and her three friends. The dark-eyed girl was sitting back in her desk, arms and legs crossed, with a single eyebrow raised on her dry expression. Maya sighed quietly.

"I've only known them for two days," she told Hinako calmly. "Since you claim to have liked Momiji for a long time, you should know by now that he's nice and really friendly to _every_one."

Hinako didn't seem convinced but today, Maya didn't care. She was tired after staying up so late last night with her studies. So all she wanted to do was go home and take a long nap. Dealing with the jealous fan girl of one of the Sohmas wasn't part of her plan.

"He _is_ nice, but not as nice as he is to _you_," Hinako told Maya, her words beginning to harden. Maya pursed her lips together, determined to not say anything. Her parents had taught her at a young age that if she didn't have anything nice to say, then she should keep her mouth shut.

'Go the Ghandi way,' she told herself, trying to cool her rising temper, 'Do nothing so when they continue, they'll eventually be seen as the bad guy.'

But Hinako didn't persist with her jealousy; instead, she just ignored Maya for the rest of the afternoon. Even when Sara or Luci tried talking to her, Hinako would stop them and Maya was left alone again. She could feel the chill of the dark-haired girl's sharp animosity on her back, but kept her mind off it.

Soon, school let out for the day and when Momiji asked her to join him and Hatsuharu to the park with Tohru, she politely declined. Waving farewell to her still-new friends, the exhausted girl walked home in silence, where she was greeted sweetly by her mother, father and younger brother and sister. Maya's grandmother, on the other hand, gave her a cold shoulder as the student headed upstairs to her room.

In a house where one of the important people didn't care for her at all, Maya felt that her room was her sanctuary. She could do anything she wanted in peace, not worrying that she would be judged.

Laying on her bed, out of uniform and in some comfortable pajamas, Maya thought how she felt the same tranquility around Momiji and Hatsuharu at school. They didn't judge her, even though she _knew_ she was quiet, withdrawn and a little strage. It put a warm smile to her lips and she was glad to be friends with people like them.

Hours later, at the dinner table with her family, Maya's younger sister asked about Kawaia. The little girl, six years younger, was a curious child, always wanting to know about everything Maya did outside of the house. Maya adored the black-haired child.

"It's a good school," the older girl replied with a smile. "There are great people in my class and apparently, all the girls love the Sohmas. Two of-"

"_Sohma_?" Maya's graying, stiff grandmother repeated in a disappointing huff. "I've heard of their family. The children are an undisciplined, unruly bunch. Hooligans- that's all they are." The woman turned her hard, dark eyes to her granddaughter, who was at a loss for words. "I'd hoped you knew better than to associate yourself with troublemakers like them, but once again, it seems my expectations for you were put too high."

Tears burned at Maya's eyes, but she absolutely refused to let them show and fall. Being spoken to like this was normal for the elderly woman, but that didn't make the sting of her obvious disapprobation hurt any less.

"Mother, don't you think you're being a bit harsh?" Maya's father, Ryotaro, questioned with a small frown. The frail-looking woman gave her son a haughty sniff, as though he'd just insulted her.

"Of course not; this child must learn who she should busy herself with at school. Who knows what may become of her if she continues hanging around those violent, good-for-nothing Sohmas."

Nothing was said for a long time. Maya stared down into her rice bowl, wishing to speak up about how kind and friendly Momiji and Hatsuharu were. But it would only further anger her grandmother, and the woman was the one helping the family support the three children; two of whom were still growing and needed enough food to aid their growth spurts.

"But Grandmother-" Ryotaro's wife started, but Maya beat her to it, pasting a phony smile to her face.

"You're right, grandmother," the teen said in a obviously fake cheerful tone. "I didn't think about that because I've never known any Sohmas before this year. I'll do my very best to avoid those kind of people from now on." She stood then, gathering her dishes. "If you'll please excuse me, I have some homework to do in my room."

After taking the empty bowls from the table and washing them, Maya went upstairs, able to hear her grandmother speaking to her parents about the things she'd heard the Sohma cousins had done in the past. None of it sounded like things any of them would really do.

Once she was safely in her haven, Maya thought about what she had told her grandmother. She intended to keep her word, of course. Lucky that none of the Sohma boys at school were troublemakers. Well, Kyo was questionable, but he was far from her grandmother's idea of a 'hooligan', so even _he_ was safe.

But still...

Flopping onto her bed, Maya closed her eyes and tried to forget about the dinner she'd just had. Instead, she focused on seeing Momiji and Hatsuharu in homeroom the next day.

They were her home away from home.


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of April came and went by in the blink of an eye and before Maya knew it, Children's Day was finally here. For the most part, the school was actually tame compared to how she expected the students to be for a day to celebrate children. In fact, it was more as if the day made the school more mature, everyone acting like adults than hormonal, rowdy teenagers. It was a bit strange to see, frankly.

But fortunately, one thing remained the same on May 5th; Momiji was still acting as though he'd had a year's supply of cotton candy, if not more so because of the commemorative day.

It was during lunch- everyone was inside since it was raining- that Tohru, Yuki and the rest were discussing the activities that would be happening at Shigure's later that evening. Surprisingly, Kyo was rather lethargic and whenever he tried to shout at someone, he would instantly become exhausted and try not to fall asleep. Maya found it curious at first, but after watching him for ten minutes, she couldn't help but grin in amusement.

"So Miss Honda," Yuki began while Kyo tried to make a snappy comeback from another insult the Prince had calmly spoken to him. "You'll be able to join us tonight? Or do you have work?"

"Nope!" the brunette replied gaily, smiling widely. "They somehow found out about the party for Hiro and Kisa at Shigure's and my boss let me have tonight off."

Maya smiled, though she didn't know any of the people mentioned. She didn't mind, thought; it was amusing enough just to listen and watch her friends talk about things. It gave her a chance to figure them all out, too.

So far, Maya had noticed how much Kyo and Yuki argued, though the seniors never physically fought- _yet_. She also noticed just how opposite the two were; Kyo was always moving around and tended to yell, snap or shout things, often not thinking much out; the way he liked high places and acted in the rain reminded Maya a _lot_ of a cat.

Yuki, unlike his temperamental cousin, spoke calmly and rarely, if _ever_, shouted or raised his voice. He always seemed composed and knew what to do or say when a student came to him and asked something. It was exactly as his nickname proclaimed him as: he acted just like a prince. Of course, Maya knew that there was more to the light-haired senior than that. But for the moment, she didn't know what it was.

As the month had passed, the blue-eyed girl was learning more about Momiji and Hatsuharu as well. The blond was constantly cheerful and optimistic and Maya loved that, especially when she had fall-outs with her grandmother and went to school in a quieter than usual mood. His playful and happy nature always managed to cheer the girl and she was about to forget her woes for the day.

The only Sohma Maya still couldn't figure out like the others was Hatsuharu. Over the weeks, he'd eventually bean speaking to her more, but she felt there was something he was still holding back. She felt safe around him, of course, and there was a time two weeks ago when the brunette was sure he was going to start telling off a guy who was bothering her, but that could have really been nothing. So, in the end, Maya really didn't know much about the gray-eyed boy, even after all this time.

"That brat, Hiro, better not spout his mouth off today," Kyo mumbled, his form practically hanging off the windowsill he was staring out from. He sounded so tired, his usual irritated tone now lackluster of anything, drained.

"Well, as long as you don't say anything stupid- because we all know he reacts worse with _you_," Yuki advised, his soft voice irritated as well. Kyo made a move to glare at his cousin, but was clearly too fatigued to actually do so. Yuki gave a triumphant, amused smirk to the orange head. Maya smiled and inwardly giggled; Yuki must enjoy rainy days the most because he could insult Kyo as much as he wanted and not get pestered with a fiery temper.

"Has Shigure gotten a cake yet?" Momiji piped up from Maya's left, once again munching on a lollipop- yellow for a change. Yuki nodded, smiling at his blond cousin.

"He ordered one a few days ago and he said he'd pick it up later today," he told him, then his smile faltered as his eyes shifted skeptically. "Although, I'm half tempted to drop into the bakery on the way home; knowing Shigure, he'll probably forget to do it while he tortures that poor editor of his." He sighed heavily, as though disappointed at the idea of his older cousin's childish antics.

Maya drifted back into her own world again, thinking about how her family celebrated Children's Day. Just like the Sohmas, they had a party, though it was much smaller in size and exuberance. It was just her and her family, and they would go to the shrine near the hospital Juni was born, and pray she'd have a good year. Then they'd return home and have cake. Simple, but a tradition in the Sakimoto household.

"Hiro told me that Kisa's classmates are including her more," Hatsuharu added, which brought Maya back to lunch with her friends. Both Tohru and Yuki smiled warmly at the younger boy's statement and Maya had a feeling that the little girl Haru spoke of was a girl the Sohmas were extremely fond of.

The expressionless teen nodded to some unasked question. "Mmm. She's gotten a lot more confident, too," he said, then a small smile passed his lips. "_He's_ still got a long way to go, though."

Just then, a girl from the student council popped her head from above the stairwell they all sat near. Yuki glanced up at her, curious. She smiled in relief and waved at him.

"Yuki, we need your help getting some forms done for Health-Sports Day and the Cultural Festival," she told him sheepishly, then smiled apologetically to the others. "Sorry, guys, but Yuki knows the forms best. Didn't mean to steal him away."

Everyone waved her apology away, understanding that the council needed their president. Once the pale-haired student was gone, it was only a matter of short minutes before the bell rang.

As Maya stood from the floor and gathered her lunch box, she noticed Momiji looking extra cheerful beside her.

"You'll come to Shigure's with us, right?" he asked with a grin, "It'll be fun! Hiro may be annoying most of the time, but you'll definitely like Kisa. She's really sweet; c'mon! _Please_?"

Laughing, Maya could never say no to the boy's hopeful expression: eyes wide enough to fit dinner plates on, smile just as wide and his hands held in fists at his chest. She playfully pushed him away but nodded so he practically leapt in the air and cried out happily.

"But I can only stay for an hour," Maya told him as she placed her lunch box in her locker. "I have my own little sister to celebrate, y'know."

"An hour's more than enough time around Hiro," Hatsuharu commented lazily, like he was in his own little planet. Maya laughed a bit more as the three walked to their class.

"What, is Hiro really _that_ bad?" she questioned, suddenly picturing some mini gang member with a scowl and an angry shine in his dark amber eyes. For some reason, the image made her giggle more.

"I'm sure I can handle him," she assured the boys. If she could deal with her grandmother, she could deal with _any_one with an attitude problem.

"We'll find out at Shigure's!" Momiji said jokingly, laughing. Rolling her eyes just as playfully, the brown-haired second year went to her seat beside the window, which was being pelted once in a while by light raindrops. The weather called for sun by the time school let out, so Kyo would probably return to his normal, hot-headed self soon.

Soon, class started and Maya immersed herself in the lessons. For the last few days, Hinako and the other girls had stopped talking to her about anything, which was fine by her. If they were just going to bug her about Momiji and Haru anyway, then they might as well ignore her. Maya still refused to get them in with the boys.

Time passed quickly and finally, she and the Sohmas were on their way to Shigure's- whoever _he_ was. From what she gathered, he was a childish, slightly perverted but kind man who was also a writer and legal guardian for Tohru, Kyo and Yuki. Despite the dirty mind, Maya didn't think this Shigure was that bad.

"Tch!" Kyo scoffed dryly, tossing his head to the side after Maya voiced that opinion. "You'll change your mind once ya meet him! He's always goin' around, rambling about high school girl. It's _gross_!"

Maya giggled. "Still, he sounds like a fun person nonetheless," she said, eager to meet more of the Sohma family. "If anything, I'll still be able to truthfully say I know or at least met an actual writer. That's impressive all on its own for someone my age."

"You might not be so proud once you learn _what_ it is he writes," Hatsuharu dead-panned, though Maya still found humor in his bland delivery. Ten minutes later, the six teenagers arrived at Shigure's, a quaint. little traditional-looking house surrounded by a vast forest. Leaning against the door frame at the front was a man in his late twenties with black hair and a large, happy smile on his face. He noticed the teens and straightened, slipping a hand from him brown traditional kimono to wave them all in.

"Come in, come in!" the man laughed as he followed the students inside. "I just got back from getting the cake. Hiro and Kisa should be here any minute, so make yourselves at home!"

Maya slipped out of her shoes and into house slippers when Shigure exclaimed lightly with surprise. The senior students and Momiji went on to the living room, discussing what activities would be played when the children came, leaving Hatsuharu and Maya to look at the older man.

"You must be... Maya, am I right?" he guessed; the brunette smiled politely and bowed.

"That's right- Maya Sakimoto," she introduced herself, straightening. "I'm in Hatsuharu and Momiji's class," she added.

"Ah, I see! Well, I'm Shigure Sohma, older cousin to nearly every person in this house," the raven-haired man chuckled then stepped closer to the girl, his smile turning devilish. "My, Haru and Momiji must have a difficult time keeping their hands off such a beautiful girl like yourself."

Not expecting that flirtatious compliment, Maya was torn between being embarrassed of the sweet words and just being plain shocked at hoe forward he was. Thankfully, before she could somehow conjure up something to say in return, there was a sudden frantic wailing from behind Shigure. A look of feigned innocence went to his face.

"Shi-gu-re...!" a short-haired woman sobbed uncontrollably at the entrance. "It's been over three-e daaaays! I _neeeed_ your draft _now_!"

Laughing lightly, Shigure raised a hand to Maya and his punk cousin for a farewell and went on to console the weeping woman. Blinking at how odd the man was, Maya peered up at Haru for any kind of indication of how she should react to Shigure. He only shook his head, as if telling her to ignore it, and proceeded to head toward the living room, where yet another argument was going on between Kyo and Yuki, but luckily for Maya's slowly dying nerves, it had ended quickly.

Tohru served everyone tea and they sat in mostly silence, tired out by the day. After the first cup was finished, a knock came to the door, hard and loud. Tohru hastily stood, nearly tripping over the seat cushion under her, expression becoming brighter and excited. The knocking persisted and Maya absently wondered who was so impatient to get in. The front door slid open and she heard a child's voice, gruff and annoyed, over Tohru's apologetic stammering.

"Why didn't you open the door when I _first_ knocked?" the little boy demanded, followed by the clattering of what might have been boots. "I mean, _jeez_, it's cold outside from the rain earlier and we only have light sweaters on. Do you _want_ us to catch a cold, all because you didn't answer the door fast enough?"

"I-I'm sorry," came Tohru's meek response as their voices got closer to the living room. "I hope you two didn't get too wet. I can bring some tea, if you'd like."

By this point, the brunette had entered the living room with two children at either side of her. Maya could instantly tell which one was Hiro, aside from the gender, from the furrowed brows that buried above dark hazel eyes and the irritated frown on his small face. Even just hearing him speak was enough to tell her the boy was Hiro, which meant the quiet, sandy-haired girl clinging to Tohru's side was Kisa.

Hiro sat beside Hatsuharu, the two sharing a silent look before the older boy shifted to make room for Kisa to sit. But she chose to sit at Tohru's side, a choice that Maya noticed made Hiro glare slightly at the senior.

"So?" the youngest Sohma pressed impatiently. "Is this really supposed to be a party? More like a wake to me. Pretty bad way to celebrate us children."

Maya frowned in silent disapproval. She didn't like the way Hiro spoke to Tohru, as though he was the boss of her, even though he was years younger than her. If it weren't for the fact that she was a guest in the home, the blue-eyed girl surely would say something.

"Give it a rest, ya damn brat," Kyo ground out, which was answered by a sarcastic stare.

"What, you don't think so?" the boy shot back, "Like you'd know, being the outsider Cat-"

"Hiro," Kisa finally spoke up, her soft voice somehow loud despite the cracking Kyo was doing to his knuckles as though ready to pound on the boy. Hiro turned to look at Kisa, his hazel eyes showing hidden shame at what he knew she would say.

"Hiro, once Grandpa Shigure gets here, everything will start," the girl told him, "Please, don't say such mean things; that means to Kyo, too. Just be patient- please?"

Hiro fell silent then, a look of unease on his face. But he nodded to the girl, anyway, and Kisa smiled gratefully. Tohru took the pause as an opportunity to get some more tea served to the new arrivals, and Hiro turned his attention to Maya, who stiffened, waiting for his sarcastic manner to aim at her.

"Who're _you_?" he asked her, tone suddenly bored. His eyes switched to Haru. "Is she your new girlfriend?"

For some reason, Maya's face went red in the face at the kid's blunt question. Hatsuharu, being the calm teen he was, appeared unruffled and he looked as though trying to hold back an amused smile.

"Not even close," the monotone teen murmured, shaking his head. "She's a friend from school; transferred in this year."

"I'm Maya Sakimoto," Maya told the young boy, trying to remain polite despite the dirty look he was giving her. He also seemed to want to say something saucy to the girl, but his conscious got to him and he decided against it.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Tohru chirped when she returned with a tray of steaming tea cups. After placing them in front of each person, Maya pushed Hiro's rudeness aside and simply enjoyed the company of the Sohmas.

Shigure came back not too long after, saying something about sending his editor, Mii, away with his final draft for his novel. No one paid heed to it and soon, the party began. Momiji was everywhere like always, Kisa stuck to Tohru's side most of the time and Maya quickly realized that Hiro, despite the relation, had a huge crush on Kisa, if his jealous glare toward Tohru was any indication.

But as always, time passed quickly and Maya noticed she had to leave to get home. Thanking Shigure for allowing her over and waving goodbye to the teens, the blue-eyed girl headed home.

"Come back soon~" Shigure had called out after the girl, his words falling on her deaf ears but not missed by Kyo and Yuki, who knocked him over the head simultaneously at how perverted he sounded.

Momiji laughed at how childish the man became and while Hiro started shooting his mouth off about it and Kisa worried over the fair sized bump forming on his head, the blond German slyly noticed the distant, almost dazed expression on Hatsuharu's face.

It was obvious that the Cow was thinking, but as always, it was a mystery.


	5. Chapter 5

As the weeks passed, Momiji noticed how open his cousin was becoming with Maya It made the German happy to see the Cow acting more friendly, but he knew there was still a hidden part of the grey-eyed teen that he seemed to refuse to show. The part that was connected to the Zodiac curse; the part he always locked up inside himself, even in the presence of his family. Seeing how well Hatsuharu and the unsuspecting Maya got along- it made Momiji wish every night that one day, she would learn the truth about the Sohmas and accept them for what they were. The blond knew how slim that chance was, but he was mainly a dreamer; it was simply how she was.

The closest thing Momiji accepted just as well was Maya learning more about their family. No matter what she was told, the girl stated that she couldn't wait to meet the others, even if she never did. For obvious reasons, of course, neither boy told her of Akito. They desperately hoped she never had the displeasure of meeting the terrifying head Sohma, as he would truly turn the kind-hearted girl from ever wanting anything to do with them any more.

And she was the closest friend the two had ever made who didn't know about the curse.

* * *

><p>"So Ritsu is a man who looks great as a woman? And he apologizes over everything?"<p>

The two Sohma cousins nodded in agreement, watching Maya try not to to choke on her ice cream in laughter. Momiji grinned with amusement and Hatsuharu chuckled under his breath. Both could tell that the brown-haired girl was struggling to not actually laugh, but was failing slightly.

Nearly a month and a half had passed since the Children's Day party at Shigure's. Maya still seemed withdrawn, but not as much as the beginning, and she did nearly everything with the blond and Cow; today she had joined them for ice cream while they chatted about the older Sohma cousins.

"Okay, okay, before I _die_ on my ice cream," Maya laughed, waving a hand playfully, "Who else is there? You mentioned that doctor; his name's Hatori, right?"

Hatsuharu nodded. "His main job, though, is to treat-" He abruptly stopped there, dangerously catching himself very close to spilling about Akito. Maya watched the Cow curiously, wondering why he'd stopped. He took a bite from his ice cream, unsure how to pick himself up from his close call.

"To treat only Sohmas!" Momiji exclaimed in that chipper voice, distracting the girl. "Ha'ri prefers treating other Sohmas and rarely does check-ups for anyone else. He's strange that way."

Maya thought that over for a moment, eyes rolled to the ceiling; Momiji and Hatsuharu shared a look, relieved at the subject change. Finally, Maya nodded and accepted the blond's hasty explanation with a smile.

"That sort of makes sense- in an odd way."

Once again relieved, the boys continued to tell Maya of their other cousins.

"Ayame runs a costume shop for men," Haru explained after his last bite, "He makes all sorts of things like nurse outfits, maids and even school girl uniforms."

Maya became speechless at that, wide blue eyes on the Cow as though unsure if he was serious. He merely nodded silently and she blinked in bewilderment.

"Huh. Well, uh... T-that's... _interesting_," she stammered, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Anyone else?"

The Sohmas couldn't help but laugh at her obvious attempt at changing the subject. For the next fifteen minutes, they went on about Kagura and more about Shigure and Ayame. Maya seemed to find the 'bromance' the two adults had most of the time hilarious to hear and was eager to experience one herself.

Afterward, the three friends began the walk to the intersection where they parted for the evening. While Momiji and Haru continued to describe their family's eccentric behaviour, the Rabbit began to wonder about Maya's. She literally never spoke about them- other than Children's Day- and he was curious about what kind of people they were. Especially when she never mentioned them. He decided to ask.

"Say, Maya, what about _yours_?" Momiji questioned after Haru finished about how Yuki and Kyo were last year. Blinking dumbly, the brunette stared down at him, puzzled.

"My what?"

"Your _family_!" he clarified with a smile. "You never talk about them- the only thing we know is that you have a sister. But what are they like?"

Maya smiled weakly and her eyes darted away as though trying to avoid answering him. She pushed hair out of her eyes and swallowed, which only made Momiji more eager to know; Haru began wondering if she had a bad household. Somehow, though, he couldn't see that; Maya didn't have the signs of that and it didn't seem to suit the girl.

"M-my family...? Well, they're certainly not _yours_," she mumbled, earning a chuckle from the boys. "Well, there's me, my parents, brother, sister and my grandmother."

"Where do you guys live?" Momiji blurted, beginning to get hyper; the sugar from the day was only now getting to him.

"Near the hill around the intersection," she replied vaguely. Momiji didn't even notice how uncomfortable the girl was becoming, but Hatsuharu did and as much as he thought about telling his cousin to drop the topic, he also wanted to know more about Maya. Which was an odd thing for the grey-eyed teen.

"My parents are great; they don't really act like a normal mom and dad. More like teenagers in adult bodies," Maya said, laughing. "I'm able to talk to them about almost anything. Juni's my little sister; she's turning eleven soon. She's a sweetie and always asking questions about everything." She paused and a smile stretched onto her face.

"Tomoya's my brother. He's about fourteen. He's like a typical little brother; annoying as hell but still endearing when he feels like it."

They reached the intersection, stopping to heard Maya out, but she smiled to the boys, raising a hand in farewell as she began walking backward up the inclined sidewalk.

"I'll see you guys on Monday; bye!" she called out a bit too hastily, as if eager to escape the conversation. Then she spun around and ran, hair bouncing behind her. While Momiji tried to call out to her, wanting to hear about the final family member, Hatsuharu noticed for the first time how Maya's hair looked like ebony in the dipping sunlight.

"Momiji," the Cow murmured, breaking the Rabbit off mid-sentence. The blond pouted but walked alongside his cousin toward their houses where their own 'families' waited.

The walk was silent for a few minutes, then the shorter boy finally released a deep sigh, leaning forward slightly. Haru glanced down to him, but didn't ask what his trouble was. He knew exactly what it was.

"I don't know how much longer I can handle this, Haru," the Rabbit complained, becoming serious instantly, "Maya might end up getting curious. We've kept the curse from her _this_ long, but I don't like it. I hate keeping things from her when she's such a great friend. It's not fair."

"Go ahead and tell her, if you want," Haru prompted, "Just be ready to face Akito."

That caused the blond to nibble on his lower lip, as though daring to contemplate his choices. The black and white-haired Sohma sighed silently.

"I know it's not fair, but it's what we have to do. Wish Miss Sakimoto was like Tohru all you want; doesn't mean it'll be true. It was chance that Tohru found out the truth and Akito let her keep her memory. There's no telling if he'd be that gracious a second time, or if Miss Sakimoto would understand us."

It was the most Hatsuharu had said about anything in a long time; Momiji stared at him, comprehension in his brown eyes. Eventually, the energetic Rabbit smiled guiltily and nodded, gaze travelling down to the sidewalk.

"I'm still going to hope. Nothing bad can come of that," he said, tone distant. His taller cousin nodded silently and before long, the two parted ways as well, Haru returning to his empty apartment and Momiji to the extension of the main Sohma estate.

Neither could fathom the true extent of the other's loneliness after spending the day with Maya.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ha- _ha_! Finally! A new chapter! I apologize if it seems a bit bland or whatever compared to the previous chapters. I'm still just getting back into my muse for this story, so I'm trying to get back into the mindset for it. But I hope you all enjoy it and don't forget- the only thing I own about this is Maya and the plot. The Sohmas and all other characters from the anime/manga belong to Natsuki Takaya :)**

**I can only hope the next chapter won't take as long as this one to post! ^^  
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><p>The next day, Sunday, Hatsuharu woke up with a strange feeling. Frowning, the Cow wondered just what had caused his stomach to drop achingly and his head to throb with an oncoming headache. But he dismissed it, figuring it was only a cold or something that he was coming down with. He didn't bother calling Hatori about it, either; colds and flus never lasted very long with the gray-eyed boy- two days, three at most. Instead, Hatsuharu decided to laze about at home, managing to actually type a reply to Momiji's text about going to the park on his phone. He really didn't understand the fuss was over cell phones and texting, but it made contacting people faster and easier, he had to admit.<p>

For most of the morning, Hatsuharu read some comics and watched TV to dull his boredom, but when afternoon finally rolled around, he decided to go for a walk. It would certainly help with clearing his mind and sorting his thoughts out. Going for a nice, long stroll through the town sounded like a calming notion; if he was lucky, he would also run into Maya and chat with her for a while.

After slipping his jacket and boots on, the gray-eyed teen sauntered down the hill, passing the intersection he and Momiji would separate from Maya after their ice cream trips. He made his way past the shop and headed into town, seeing the people chatter and walk among the sidewalks, unaware of the teenager near them with thoughts brewing in his mind.

What Hatsuharu kept rolling around in his head was his cousin's words from the previous night; about keeping the curse a secret from Maya for this long. He understood the Rabbit's sentiments well. He wanted Maya to know about their family curse; for her to fully accept it just as Tohru had. But as much as it didn't seem like it, the Cow had a sense of reality, which caused him to know that the chance of Maya accepting them with the Zodiac curse was possibly small, if existent at all.

It was for that reason that Hatsuharu still kept to himself around the girl. Becoming emotionally invested with someone outside the Sohma family, and then having that person discover and reject them, was the worst feeling. Hatsuharu refused to go through that pain. Though he had to wonder how Kyo was coping with his feelings toward Tohru. The Cat had always been unstable due to his position in the family and curse; Tohru seemed to be his one and only chance for acceptance. Things would get messy if in the end, she denied the older boy; it would upset Kyo, but delight Akito to no end, having further proof for the deranged head Sohma that the cursed family must stick together.

Sometimes, being a Sohma really sucked.

He wasn't quite sure how much time had passed since he left his house, but the next thing he knew, Hatsuharu found himself lost. He was still in town, of course, but in a part that he just didn't recognize. He paused, nearly having an old lady stumble into his back, and glanced around, his expression blank and languid. After a moment, he figured he would walk around a bit more; maybe he would find a familiar landmark and find his way back home from there.

So the Sohma boy wandered on, hands in pockets and pace leisurely. However, it became apparent that he was only getting himself more and more lost. With a heavy sigh, the Cow continued walking about, hoping to find a map or something to guide himself back to the main road so he could get home. By now, the sky was darkening for evening- it seemed Hatsuharu had been getting lost nearly all day. Oh well. It wasn't as though _that_ was a new one for him.

Fifteen minutes later, it was almost completely dark; people were scattering, trying to get home without incident, and Haru was still wandering around, attempting the same thing.

"Haru!"

Gray eyes turned lazily to the source of the exclamation, seeing Momiji waving cheerfully to his taller cousin, and Maya smiled warmly at the blond's side. Both were holding bags in their hands, as though they'd been shopping. Haru headed toward them, and stopped in front of the two.

"Haru, what are you doing out here? And why didn't you answer my messages?" Momiji asked him, almost pouting. Hatsuharu blinking, thinking back on his cell phone which he had left back home. He gave a shrug, his typical way of stating he'd forgotten, and looked at the two.

"You never told me you were with Miss Sakimoto today," he murmured, bowing politely to Maya, who returned it with her head. Momiji laughed and nodded, clinging to Maya's arm, to which she giggled at.

"That's right! But you would've known that if you answered me earlier! I ran into her and I helped her shopping!" he explained brightly; Maya smiled. Hatsuharu made a soft, noncommittal sound under his breath, nodding in understanding. "Haru! Why don't you take the other bags Maya is carrying and we can walk her home?! It's not safe for a person to be walking by themselves at night, you know! And we have a duty as a friend to make sure she doesn't get hurt!"

Maya waved a hand at the blond. "Oh, that's okay, Momiji," she told him, "I can manage getting home myself. I didn't even think you'd help with carrying my bags for me, but you did. Thanks for that, by the way."

The German gave a small pout, though it wasn't entirely serious. "But, Maya!" he exclaimed, hands clutched in front of him; she laughed gently and the corners of Haru's lips twitched upward. Momiji was always so insistent with the things he tried to do. It was damn near difficult for people to deny the blond of his requests; unless you were Kyo, of course. Then Momiji was completely ignored with little to no care in the world.

"Momiji's right," the punk input in his monotone, reaching out and taking the other bags in the girl's hands. She watched him with mild surprise, not having expected him to do anything of the sort. "I'd feel bad if you got hurt or something after running into us, after all. Please. Let us help, Miss Sakimoto."

Hatsuharu gave Maya a slight curve of his lips, something resembling his own smile, and waited for her to give a reply of some kind before doing anything. The dark-haired female looked between the cousins, seeing their helpful expressions- Momiji beaming like he always did and Hatsuharu watching her lightly, waiting patiently for her response. Finally, Maya laughed softly and nodded.

"Alright; if you both insist. Thanks very much!" she told them; they nodded in return and she glanced around, a sheepish expression falling onto her face. "Er... any idea where we are?" she asked, scratching her cheek with embarrassment. It seemed Maya's sense of direction was just as bad as Hatsuharu's.

"Maya, you're not very good with walking around on your own, are you?" Momiji laughed jokingly; she laughed with him and gave a half shrug as they all started walking, Momiji in the lead since he was the best at directions in the dark than the other two.

"Ah, I'm not good in the dark. That's all," she said with a smile, not at all ashamed of the fact. "In the day time, I can go anywhere and know where I had gone and how to return to my first place, but once night hits, I just can't tell where I am. I've always been this way."

They walked on, chattering about this and that until they finally arrived at the intersection they normally parted at after school. Momiji looked up at Maya expectantly, amber eyes wide and eager to finally see her house for the first time, but the younger student looked rather nervous, but clearly trying to hide it with her smile.

"So um... this way," she said, gesturing to the road leading to her home. Maya continued to lead the way, heading up the hill that neither Sohma had gone yet, and as Momiji cheered on about visiting her house, Haru couldn't help but sense the anxiety from the girl, even though he couldn't see her expression properly.

"Is everything alright?" he asked suddenly, his deadpan tone cutting through Momiji's excited chatter. The blond boy stopped and blinked over to his cousin, then to Maya, who looked a bit startled at the random question. Haru gave a slight shrug. "I was just wondering. You seem a bit nervous about something. I just wondered if something was bothering you, is all."

Maya looked at Hatsuharu for a few seconds, her walk slowed but still moving, then gave him a reassuring smile, nodding. "Yes. Everything's fine, Hatsuharu. I'm sorry if I worried you, but I'm okay. Really," she told him, her tone returning to its usual cheer. "Thank you for worrying, though. I promise everything is completely fine! If anything does happen, I'll be sure to let you know so you don't worry. Okay?"

Haru didn't really believe her, but didn't say so. Instead, he just nodded silently and let the German boy return to his laughter and chatter with Maya. It didn't take long after that for them to reach her house- a modestly sized home that had a traditional yet modern look to it- with the porch light already on waiting for Maya's return back. The three teenagers reached the mental swinging fence that bordered the house and Maya opened it, giving the boys a smile as she took the bags from them.

"Thanks again, you two. You didn't have to walk me home, but I appreciate it," she told them warmly; Momiji laughed and smiled widely, arms swinging behind his head like usual and Haru giving a silent nod to her.

"Anything to help a friend!" Momiji exclaimed. Maya chuckled and gave them a wave, turning and heading to her front door. The Sohmas started walking away, glad that she had arrived home safe and sound, pausing when the front door opened and a young girl's voice was heard.

"Maya! You're back! Why didn't you call to let us know you were gonna be late?"

The boys looked and noticed a girl with a black pixie cut, beaming happily up at Maya; it was obviously Juni, the girl Maya had explained to be her younger sister.

"Sorry, I got distracted," Maya laughed, handing the little girl a bag. "Here, take that into the kitchen, would you?"

While Momiji watched the two girls interact, smiling happily, Haru couldn't help but notice an old woman in the window of the living room, curtain pulled back to look at the boys with an obvious expression of disdain. The taller Sohma frowned a bit and put a hand to Momiji's shoulder, motioning for them to leave. The Cow looked up to the window and the curtain was back to its proper place, the woman gone. The males left without a word- well, Momiji was still talking Haru's ear off, but the other teen was used to it. They parted at their usual place at the intersection, the German teeming with happiness as always and the black and white-haired boy silent as a mime. He couldn't help but wonder who that woman in the window was in relation to Maya, but he didn't dwell too much on it. It wasn't any of his business, anyway. It was best to keep out of people's lives, especially ones not part of the Sohma family. That only asked for trouble.

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><p>"Maya! Good morning!"<p>

Looking up from her shoe locker, the blue-eyed student smiled and waved to the blond Sohma greeting her. Momiji bounded over to her, Hatsuharu at his heels like usual, and smiled happily at her. She placed her outdoor shoes into her locker then closed the door, picking up her bag and smiling at the two.

"Good morning, Momiji; Hatsuharu," she told them cheerfully. The three of them headed toward their classroom. "Thanks again for walking me to my house last night. Juni was really glad to see me safe."

"That was the little girl with the short hair, right? The one who met you at the door, right? Am I right?" Momiji asked eagerly, hopping backward ahead of Maya to grin widely at her; she nodded and he laughed. "I thought so! I knew I was right! I saw her meet you at the door last night; that's how I knew! She's really cute!"

"Yeah, Juni's been told that all the time," Maya giggled with an agreeing nod, making her way up the stairs the brought them to the second floor and to their classroom.

"Did you get in trouble for coming home so late?" the blond asked, tilting his head curiously at his female friend. Maya smiled and shook her head a bit; they entered the room and was met with the noise of their classmates.

"No, I explained that you guys walked me home and Mom and Dad were fine with it. In fact, they wanted me to give you their thanks as well. Said they were glad you two were there to make sure nothing bad happened to me."

Another laugh bubbled out of Momiji and he beamed rather proudly, going to his seat beside Hatsuharu. "That's us! The two helpers of our friends! I'm just happy you didn't get in trouble! I would have felt bad if you did, all because we walked you home."

"Yeah, it didn't help that my sense of direction is terrible in the dark," Maya laughed, leaning against an empty desk next to the two.

"Can't be worse than Haru!" Momiji laughed lightly; the silent boy nodded, his gray eyes glinting with mild amusement. "He gets lost really easily, even in broad daylight! I remember having to walk him from my house to his when we were little and everything; it was kinda funny!"

Hatsuharu shrugged a bit, not a bit bothered with the mention of his inability to know directions easily. Maya giggled softly and smiled reassuringly at him.

"That's okay, Hatsuharu. We like you just as much despite that," she joked with him, moving to the side as the student occupying the desk she was leaning against came into the classroom. She took that as a sign to go to her own desk; the dark-haired girl waved to the Sohmas and turned to head to her desk on the other side of the room.

"Are you going to have lunch with us today, Maya?" Momiji asked before she was out of ear-shot; she glanced behind her shoulder and gave the shorter boy a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, Momiji. I'm going to see about joining one of the sports clubs then. But if I have time, I'll join you. Rooftop?" she told him, raising her hand not holding her book bag over her shoulder in an apologetic gesture. Momiji waved his own hand to her, his smile not once faltering.

"That's okay! I hope it goes well for you! Good luck!" he told her cheerfully, legs swinging back and forth under his desk. She nodded and headed to her desk, and he turned to his cousin, beaming brightly as he always did.

"You're really quiet today! You okay, Haru?" he asked curiously, tilting his head to look at his face, blinking his eyes with wonder. Usually, Hatsuharu would at least give a grunt to let them know that he was paying attention, but this morning, he was almost completely silent, his gaze off in the distance more so than normal. Even now, he was staring off, chin resting on his palm and his head turned away.

"Mmm. Fine," the Cow murmured out, mind drifted off as he watched a group of girls near Maya's seat talking to the girl and their expressions going from pleased to obvious frustration growing before Maya turned away from them. Haru wondered what was going on with them, but said nothing about it, mind once again wander off to nothing specific until the teacher came into the room and caught the class's attention to start homeroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, lookie! Another chapter in less time than before! :D Don't get your hopes of this continuing, of course xD I just had big ideas for this and the next chapter! It might take a bit for chapter 8 to post, so yeah :P But either way, enjoy this! I hope it's just as good! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I only only Maya, her family, the plot and the girls who always bug her in class about Haru and Momiji. Everyone and everything else is Natsuki Takaya's :)  
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><p>Maya didn't show up on the roof at lunch at all. Momiji was a bit disappointed at first, but he understood that she was busy trying to join the sports team, and almost instantly perked back to normal. It gave him time to talk to Tohru, who had been busy the last little while with graduation preparations with her other classmates and the other Sohmas. But today she and the blond's cousins were free for lunch break and they all sat around on the roof with Tohru's friends, chattering away and having a grand time together. It had been a while since they had all gathered like this and just talked, not having to deal with the drama in their family like the previous year.<p>

"So Tohru! Have you decided on what you're gonna do after you finish school?" the German asked with glee, beaming at his brunette friend over his lunchbox. Hana smiled gently and lowered her own box a bit, looking at her best friend with interest in her dark eyes.

"Yes, I'm curious as to what profession you have chosen to pursue after high school," the quiet girl murmured fondly; Uo threw a fist in the air, agreeing loudly, causing Kyo to snap at her and a small banter to go between them before Tohru smiled sheepishly and raised her hands a bit.

"W-well..." she started, almost as though nervous, but then a wide smile broke out onto her face and she looked suddenly determined and happy. "A-actually, I have!" That stopped the verbal fight between the Sohma and Yankee and they sat back down to listen to their friend speak. "Well, all the jobs and careers the speakers discussed looked really interesting and fun! But.. I think I'm going to become a professional house cleaner!"

Tohru looked sheepish again. "Erm... Is that a stupid choice..?" she asked meekly, lightly scratching at her cheek. Yuki smiled warmly at her and chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"No, of course not," he assured her, his soft tone full of care and pride for her. "It's something you enjoy doing, so I don't see why it would be stupid. Actually, you've thought about it more than _I_ have, Miss Honda."

"O-oh! I'm sorry! Maybe I should think a bit more about what I want to do, then!"

"It's no problem. I might just take a year off before going into college, myself." He glanced over to Uo and Hana, still smiling warmly. "What about you, Miss Uotani; Miss Hanajima?" When the blond gave him a raised brow, the Rat chuckled softly. "Have you decided what you want to do after school," he clarified.

Uo waved a hand around in the air, dismissing the idea. "Ah, I'll probably just keep working at the convenience store or something," she stated casually. "I don't really think I have any use in college or anything and it's not like I'd be able to get a proper job all things considered. Besides, I'm fine with my job at the store! I meet great people; why should I give that up?" She turned her attention over to Hana, who was quietly crunching on some pickles from her lunch, looking as calm and serene as she always did. "What about you, Hana? Figured out what you wanna do?"

Hana stopped snacking for a moment and slowly opened her eyes, looking thoughtful; Tohru smiled curiously at her friend, as did the others. After a moment, she closed her eyes again and returned to munching on the pickles.

"I have not," she replied softly; Kyo nearly fell over in the overdramatic pause and growled, shaking a fist but saying nothing to the Goth. Tohru continued to smile, telling Hana that she didn't have to choose a path any time soon, receiving a small smile and quiet thanks.

After a bit more talk about their futures, Tohru turned to Momiji, beaming. "So Maya hasn't been able to join us for lunch today, huh? Do you know where she is?" she asked the younger boy, who beamed and nodded.

"She said she was gone to try joining the sports club!" he told her enthusiastically, tossing a hand into the air as he did. Tohru blinked, then looked genuinely excited, grasping her hands together in front of herself.

"Oh, that's fantastic!" she exclaimed, "I hope she gets onto it! I bet she's really good at playing them!" Momiji nodded more and laughed. "So how is she doing in your classes? She's really nice, huh?"

"Oh yeah! The three of us go out for ice cream once in a while after school and everything!" Momiji replied cheerfully, taking a bite out of his dessert, swaying his feet on the ground in front of him. "She's really nice; and pretty! And super funny, too! I'm so glad she was in our class and not in anyone else's! Maya's a great friend!"

"Yes, she is very kind and fits in with our friends well," Yuki mentioned with a soft chuckle and smile; Momiji beamed again and nodded in agreement. Then the blond nudged his cousin in the ribs lightly and grinned up at him.

"_You_ think she's nice, right, Haru?" he prodded with that wide grin of his, watching his cousin's reaction. But it didn't change from the passive distant stare he always had on his face, even while eating. Haru gave a half shrug and a small grunt, not giving much of a response. Momiji pouted and held fists at his chest. "Oh c'mon, Haru! We're all been hanging out together for more than a month now! Don't you think _anything _about Maya?!"

Gray eyes turned to the Rabbit, and the German stubbornly kept his eyes on the taller boy until he gave a proper answer. They stared at each other for the longest time- Hatsuharu passive and blank, Momiji firm and hopeful. Finally, the Cow sighed deeply and closed his eyes, resting his chin in his hand and looking away.

"She's nice," he eventually murmured, resulting in Momiji cheering aloud and Kyo growling and rubbing his knuckles hard into the sides of his head with frustration, yelling at the Rabbit to quit shouting before people got a headache. While Momiji started to crocodile cry loudly, Yuki glanced over to his younger cousin with both curiosity and a bit of concern in his violet eyes. Haru seemed to have felt him looking, as he glanced over as well and their gazes locked. After a few seconds, Haru smiled a bit, a sign that he was feeling alright, his answer to Yuki's silent question. Yuki smiled back warmly and turned back to the others just as Tohru had been able to stop Kyo from his rough treatment of the younger Sohma.

Eventually, though, the bell rang for the end of lunch and everyone gathered their belongings before heading back inside. Momiji and Haru bid their cousins and friends farewell then went to their classroom, where Maya was already sat in her seat, staring out the window with her chin in her hand. With a wide smile, Momiji bounded over to her, Hatsuharu following after him, hands in his pockets.

"Maya!" Momiji cried happily, jumping to a stop beside her desk; she startled a little and spun around, but smiled as well at the sight of her friends.

"Momiji! Hatsuharu! Hey, you guys," she said just as happily.

"How was your try out for the sports club?" Momiji asked, looking at her with excitement for her news. Maya grinned a bit and played with her fingers a bit before nodding.

"I think I did kinda good, actually! I mean, I definitely wasn't the most talented in the group of girls who tried for it, but I didn't suck! So I guess that's a plus," she laughed, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. Momiji clapped and laughed happily with her.

"That's awesome! Say; _say_! Why don't we go for ice cream after school today in celebration of you trying out?!" he suggested; Maya laughed again and nodded.

"Alright. I don't have any plans for today, so why not," she agreed, blue eyes darting over to Haru behind the blond boy. "You're coming, right?" she asked, though knew the answer would be yes since he always accompanied them. As expected, the quiet teen nodded his head and shifted his bag on his shoulder. "Great! Why don't we meet at the front gate, then?"

"Okay!" Momiji chirped; the teacher came in then and the boys smiled at Maya, returning to their seats. She smiled back and got her books out for the afternoon lessons, falling silent the whole time unless she was called on for an answer to their homework.

...

After school finally came and the three parted at the classroom door to go to their lockers, promising to meet each other at the front gates of the school. Maya headed to her locker and Momiji and Hatsuharu went to theirs, which were next to each other. They had to be careful as always during the hustle and bustle of the crowds of students running around and the risk of bumping into girls was higher than usual. Of course, Momiji seemed to pay that thought no mind as he skipped down the hall, singing about the ice cream he was going to have once they reached the shop; Haru watched him, looking as blank as he always did, but kept his eyes peeled for his cousin, not wanting either of them to reveal their curse to a random girl.

Once the Sohmas got their outside shoes on and slipped their jackets on, the two bid farewell to their other cousins and Tohru, then began heading out of the school to meet Maya at the gates. Stepping down the stairs, Momiji hopping down them like the Rabbit he was, Haru saw Maya standing at the gate as promised, back turned against the brick column, smiling gently as she seemed to be humming to herself. She hadn't noticed them yet, but Momiji did and he raised a hand into the air to greet the girl, only to stop when a car pulled up to the curb and Maya straightened to attention.

"Maya...?" Momiji said softly with confusion, lowering his arm and watching her go to the car and talking to someone hidden in the front passenger seat. Maya's expression screwed up with distress and desperation. It appeared as though she was arguing with someone, but the boys were too far away to hear anything she was talking about. Haru glanced down to his blond companion and noticed the sad and worried look on his child-like face. A frown tugged at the Cow's own face, and he turned his attention back to Maya, who seemed defeated and deflated. Whatever had just happened, Maya was upset. That much was obvious. She opened the back door of the car and paused to look up, finally seeing Haru and Momiji. Her eyes stayed on them for a moment, as though to apologize for what she was doing, then turned away and slid into the car, closing the door with a slam.

Hatsuharu and Momiji remained where they were, even as the car drove off the curb and back onto the road until it disappeared form sight. Momiji was the most worried of the two, his expression becoming forlorn and distant, his usual vigour and delight for everything around him faded into sudden maturity. Haru didn't enjoy seeing that on his friend, so he just put his arm around the Rabbit's shoulders and silently began walking in the direction of the ice cream shop; Momiji raised his amber hues to his cousin and it took a delayed second for a small smile to appear on his face, thankful for his family's momentary distraction.

But that didn't mean Hatsuharu wasn't curious as to what had happened; he just chose not to ask or question it. It was the best way to keep the distance between him and the outsiders, after all. Yet, there was still a tiny voice in the back of his mind nagging him to ask Maya the next day at school. Haru didn't bother to ignore it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for taking so long to post this chapter. I've been busy with actually having a social life for once and everything bombarding me xD;; I entirely meant to finish it for at least a week now, but didn't have the chance. Anyway, I have the next two chapters planned out, so it's just the case of writing them :) I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: The only characters in this story I own are Maya, her family and the Haru/Momiji fangirls through the story. Everyone else belongs to Natsuki Takaya, the creator of Fruits Basket.**

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><p>She felt like a prisoner. Unless her grandmother approved of the activity, Maya wasn't permitted to go and do anything with her friends. She had no choice but to remain home while she watched out her bedroom window as the students from her school walked with each other and laughed; had a good time together. It was something she wished she could have done that day with Hatsuharu and Momiji. Yet, somehow, her grandmother had found out Maya was still talking and hanging out with the two Sohmas and had come to her school to bring her straight home, refusing to let her explain the situation and apologize to the boys.<p>

So there she was, hours later in her bedroom at home, homework done and bored. She sighed heavily and tapped her pencil against the paper in front of her, sitting at her computer desk. There was nothing to do and she was currently on an even stricter schedule because of her dumb grandmother, so she couldn't even go into the backyard for the swings. It was truly a boring evening indeed. She would have probably just been walking home from the ice cream shop with Haru and Momiji, smiling and laughing and having lots of fun. Maya sighed again, frowning and resting her chin on her wrist, staring down at the paper she had been attempting to write on. When she got bored and couldn't do much of anything else, she wrote short stories. But that evening, she was just too bored to write _any_thing. It was bothersome, to say the least.

Pushing away from her desk, Maya shuffled over to her window, dark eyes blandly staring out into the quiet and almost secluded street of her tiny neighbourhood. Sometimes, it felt as though it was just her own family that lived on the street, since she rarely saw anyone else in their houses. God, it was so depressing.

Just then, a knock came to her door and Maya turned as it opened. Juni bounded in, smiling brightly, and closed the door. Maya smiled as well and met her younger sister on her bed; Juni was busy bouncing up and down on her knees and giggling.

"What're you doing here, Juni?" the brunette asked in a teasing voice, catching the little girl around the waist and tumbling backwards onto the bed together, both bursting into laughter.

"I wanted to hear more about the guys you met at school!" Juni exclaimed, turning herself around in her sister's hold to look down at her. "The ones you hang out with all the time! I saw them when you came home late a few nights ago; they looked really nice!"

Maya smiled, remembering that day. She had been nervous of letting Haru and Momiji walk her home that night in case her grandmother had seen them. But, even though Maya had thought she had avoided that situation, it had seemed her grandmother still managed to catch the boys making their way from the house.

"They _are_ nice," Maya agreed with a nod, her grip on Juni loosening a bit. The little girl watched the eldest with gleeful eyes. "Momiji is the blond one and he's always going on about something with excitement. He's always got something to be happy about. And Haru doesn't say that much, but that's cool 'cuz when he _does_ say something, you can bet it's gonna be nice or funny." The thought of the black and white haired teen made her smile soften with amusement. Haru was indeed nice and funny. If it were even possible, Maya hoped to learn more about him one day. And perhaps by then, her grandmother wouldn't hinder her ability to have friends.

The rest of the night passed by in a flurry of talk between the sisters, Juni shooting question after question to Maya about her school and the students in her classes with excitement; it was obvious that Juni wanted to at least visit Kawaia, but Maya didn't know how their grandmother would think of that idea. But then again, if it was _Juni_, the eldest woman in the Sakimoto household was bound to agree more easily.

The following day, Maya got to school with a bit of a glum expression, but not the usual one she had whenever her grandmother forbade her from doing something with her friends. Of course, that was only because Juni had cheered her up the night before, so Maya hadn't gone to bed with dark and empty thoughts like usual.

She reached her shoe locker and saw a few of her classmates whom she spoke to on occasion in their shared lessons, but otherwise remained by herself. She switched her outside shoes for the school-regulated white pair and closed her locker, jumping a bit when she saw Momiji and Haru standing right behind it.

"O-oh my gosh!" she stuttered with shock, holding a hand to her chest, catching her breath for a second; Momiji laughed and smiled apologetically to her, raising his arms behind his head as Hatsuharu gave his own slight smile of apology.

"Sorry we scared you, Maya!" Momiji told the girl, in a good mood like always; Maya chuckled and shook her head, waving it off. They began heading for their homeroom, plenty of time to spare before the bell rang.

"It's alright," she assured the German cheerfully, fixing the clips in her hair for a moment before smiling at the boys. "If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you two!" The memory of seeing them before she got into her grandmother's car came to mind and Maya still felt terrible for it. Momiji blinked, giving her a puzzled and curious expression.

"To us? What for?" he asked, trying to understand what she meant. Maya's smile softened to a regretful one and her gaze lowered to the floor as they continued walking.

"For yesterday. I know we made plans to go have ice cream after school, but my... my grandmother made me go home instead. She didn't even let me explain it to you guys. So- I'm sorry I left like I had..."

The three were silent for a moment as they ascended the stairs. Momiji and Hatsuharu knew what she was talking about but neither felt she had to apologize. When they got to the landing, Haru finally piped up, tone low and almost impossible to hear.

"It's okay that you have other things to do. We get that you have a busy family and all that, so don't worry about feeling bad for it. We're used to it; and much worse, too."

Momiji's usual bright expression was toned down to his own melancholic smile and he nodded in agreement; Maya watched the two Sohma cousins, sensing that there was something more to what Haru said, but didn't push the topic any further. Instead, she changed it to the recent class project the three of them had been assigned to in History class. They chattered about it as they arrived to their classroom and until the bell rang for class to begin. Once it did, they all seemed back to normal, though Maya couldn't help but wonder if something was going on behind the scenes in the Sohma family. However, she knew it was something she shouldn't meddle in, so she kept her questions to herself.

The rest of the day went by like it normally did- Maya sat with Haru and Momiji during their classes, then hung out with their family and Tohru and her friends on the rooftop during lunchtime, and then were temporarily separated during their last few classes, where they were sat far from one another and had different partners to work with.

Once the bell rang to signify school was over for the day, Momiji headed right for Maya in the classroom. She was packing her bag with her books and smiled when she noticed the Sohmas. She slung her bag over her shoulder and the three of them headed to the door. Like always, Momiji was bubbly and energetic and Hatsuharu was simply there, giving a nod or a hum under his breath in reply to something the blond or Maya said or asked him. It was the same kind of reaction he gave since the day Maya met him, but at the same time, she noticed that his grunts and such held an air of amusement to them, something she hadn't realized before. It certainly made a huge difference and made Haru seem friendlier and nicer than people who didn't talk to him often like she did think.

"Since you couldn't come for ice cream yesterday, how about you come today?" the German asked Maya with eagerness, wanting to spend time with the girl outside of school again even though it was only one day she had been taken away unexpectedly. Maya smiled and thought to herself. She didn't have any chores to do at home that couldn't wait until she got home a bit later than usual. And if she was asked why she was late, she could always claim that she had to work on her History project for school, which wouldn't be an entire lie. The three definitely needed to work on it outside of school, but that didn't mean it would be today.

After some thought, she finally nodded in agreement. "Sure, that sounds good," she told Momiji, who laughed happily and proceeded to bounce around as though he already had sugar in his system. It only made Maya giggle with amusement. She thought it was cute how easily excitable and happy he could get from the simplest thing. It was also a bit admirable, but more so of amusing.

However, it was just as they reached the spot where they normally parted temporarily to go to their shoe lockers that her cell phone rang. Confused, since she rarely got calls and tended to just text anyone instead, Maya answered. She didn't have caller I.D., so the caller on the other line was always a mystery to her. Momiji and Hatsuharu also paused, their own curiosity getting the better of them, mainly because Momiji hoped she wasn't being called home by her parents and wouldn't allowed to get ice cream with them.

"Hello? ...Oh, hi, Mama. No, I'm not even at my locker yet," Maya said into the phone, hoping the exact same thing as the blond was. "The only thing I'm doing now is going for ice cream with Momiji and Hatsuharu." It was at that point that her expression changed, for the better. She perked up, looking momentarily hopeful, and smiled. "Are you sure? Won't grandmother be home?" She paused, listening to what her mother had to say, then beamed over to the Cow and Rabbit. "Just one second, I'll ask them!" And then she lowered the phone from her face and smiled widely at the boys.

"Hey, if you want, my mom said you two can come over to the house and hang out there. We even have ice cream," she chuckled, eager to have her friends over to her house for once. Not that she didn't like that shop they regularly went to for their treats, but she wanted Juni to finally meet the boys Maya had told her all about after school before bed. The little girl always seemed so excited to meet the Sohmas face to face and see just how great they were as Maya made them out to be.

Momiji looked up at Haru, his expression nearly splitting with his glee, and the taller teen gave a nod after a moment, his own passive expression not once changing, though his grey eyes glinted with interest. Cheering, the blond nodded feverishly to Maya, who laughed and returned to her call happily.

"They're able to come over. We'll be there shortly," she said and then bid farewell and hung up, slipping her phone back into her bag. She gave the two a smile, looking more excited now than ever before. "Alright, well, meet me at the front gate like usual and we'll walk to my house! It's not a long walk, at most five minutes." With that, she waved to them and they parted ways, all anticipating the first visit to Maya's house.


	9. Chapter 9

_**LOOK WHO'S BACK! **_**I am so sorry I took as long as I have to update. I've been uber busy (when am I not ugh ¬. ¬) and then I started drawing and my muse for this story had faded to almost nothing while I obsessed over other things. . Anyway! I'm back now! Sort of. I'll be starting on the next chapter when I can, but no promises that it'll be up in a few weeks. It might take as long as this chapter took . Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and that the wait was worth it!**

**Like always, I don't own Haru, Momiji, any of the Sohmas or other Fruits Basket characters. They belong to Natsuki Takaya. I only own Maya, her family, her classmates and the plot.**

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><p>The walk to Maya's house was far from silent or awkward. In fact, it was quite the opposite, with Momiji bouncing around with excitement and going on about the sort of things he was looking forward to once they arrived her home. Maya smiled and giggled, going along with his enthusiasm happily, nodding and answering whatever question he had with a playfully mysterious, "You'll find out!"<p>

Five minutes later, the three found themselves in front of Maya's house, looking much more delightful in the sunlight than it had the evening they'd walked her home. It was a modest home, with a simple stone path leading to the front door and a small garden of flowers to the side. Toys were strewn about on the ground, possibly from Juni and Tomoya playing together.

Maya smiled and went to the front door, pausing as the Sohma cousins followed after her, Momiji clearly eager to meet her family and Hatsuharu looking around a bit, silent as always.

"Welcome to my house, guys. Hopefully my mom tidied up a bit before we got here," she said with a light laugh, opening the front door and stepped aside for Hatsuharu and Momiji to enter the front porch. The German smiled brightly and quickly kicked his shoes off at the entrance before looking at the portraits on the walls leading into the main hallway.

"_Wow_! Maya, your house is so cool! Thanks so much for having us over!" the boy exclaimed happily, turning his caramel hues over to his friend as Haru neatly put his own shoes away. Maya smiled and nodded.

"It's no problem! I was actually hoping you guys would come over eventually, and I'm sure you'd have to for our group project, anyway," she told him warmly; at that moment, before she had a chance to say more to the Rabbit, there were footfalls coming from the kitchen and Maya glanced up. A woman with black hair tied up in the back by a red ribbon and brown eyes smiled at her and Maya waved in greeting.

"Oh! Maya, you're home quicker than I was expecting!" the woman stated, though was smiling kindly as she headed toward the three teenagers. Her daughter smiled sheepishly while Momiji and Hatsuharu bowed politely to the woman.

"It's nice to meet you! I'm Momiji Sohma and this is my cousin, Haru! Thanks for letting us over, miss!" Momiji introduced, his cheer and bright personality making Maya's mother smile more and giggled laying a hand to her cheek with mild embarrassment.

"Oh, aren't you so sweet! It's my pleasure, Momiji; Haru! And please- just call me Akemi! It's so nice to finally meet you both; Maya spoke fondly of you." Maya flushed at that, making an embarrassed expression but said nothing even as Momiji gave her a playful grin behind his shoulder.

"That aside," Maya said, clearing her throat, trying to avert the topic from what she had said about the Sohma cousins at the dinner table, "Where's Juni and Tomoya? Juni's been dying to meet Momiji and Hatsuharu ever since I told her about them." She glanced up toward the staircase as they all made their way to the kitchen, wondering why she hadn't heard the rumbling stampede that usually foretold of her siblings' arrivals.

"Oh, they're just getting washed up. They spent the afternoon playing in the backyard and I told them no ice cream if they don't wash their face and hands well," Akemi explained, going to the counter in the kitchen as the teens sat around the table. Like always, Momiji looked as he did in the ice cream shop, eager and ready for the frozen treat.

"What type of ice cream do you have?" he asked, unable to hold back his excitement any longer. Akemi giggled ad went to the freezer portion of the fridge, taking the tubs of ice cream out as she spoke; Momiji's amber hues sparkled with delight as she did, his smile growing larger and larger.

"We have chocolate, vanilla, maple, chocolate mint and Maya's favourite," Akemi paused to removed the final tub, smiling at her daughter, "neopolitian." The woman spread her arms behind the tubs and gave the teen a warm smile. "What kind would you like?"

"Chocolate for me, please!" Momiji exclaimed instantly, even going to far as to raise his arm into the air in his happiness. Akemi nodded and then glanced over to Hatsuharu, who seemed to be deciding on his preferred flavour. As he did, Maya stood and went to the cupboard, taking down the chocolate syrup to bring over to them, knowing Momiji would want to have some. As expected, he cheered at the sight of the syrup and Maya giggled in amusement.

"I'll have some maple, please," Haru finally decided, raising his grey eyes to Maya's mother, who nodded and began piling the ice cream into the bowls already laid out. It seemed Akemi was a very prepared woman.

"So, Maya's told us you're all in the same homeroom. Thank you for accepting her so easily," Akemi said, giving the Sohmas another warm smile. Maya flushed darkly in embarrassment, looking at her mother with mortification.

"_Moooom_!" she whined out, slapping a hand to her face with a groan. "You're so embarrassing... Oh my God," she muttered, taking Momiji's bowl of ice cream and adding some syrup to it.

Akemi waved a hand dismissively to her. "Oh, now, dear, it's only true. You came into the school later than a usual transfer student would, so I was worried you wouldn't make any friends! But you did, and much quicker than I expected." She smiled toward the cousins once more. "Maya is always talking about you two and the others she spends time with at school," she added with a playful wink. Smiling widely with somewhat pride, Momiji nodded zealously.

"Maya's a lot of fun to be be friends with!" he told the woman happily, causing a light smile to cross Maya's face. His cousin nodded in his silent agreement and then once again when Akemi handed him his ice cream. "Everyone at school likes her and she's really friendly. Maya gets along really well with our friends in class."

"Okay!" Maya said, clearly trying to change the subject away from her interactions in school. "I'm going to get Juni and Tomoya and we can all talk about something _else_ over ice cream." Handing Momiji his cold treat, she went to the bottom of the stairs and called out to her siblings, telling them they had guests. Returning, the brunette smiled at the Sohmas and sat down at the island with them, digging into her ice cream already as the boys did.

It took a minute or two, but finally, Tomoya and Juni emerged into the kitchen,, hands red from rubbing them clean so much, and looking excited. Juni's light brown eyes lit up even more as she saw Momiji and Haru at the table, and her face nearly split in half with the large smile on her lips. Tomota, however, just gave the two visitors a bow of his head politely and a smile, making his way to sit at the island while his mother dished up ice cream for him and his sister.

"Maya! Is this Momiji and Haru?" Juni exclaimed, going straight for the German, who still had the look of pure delight on his face but was careful not to let her get too close. Laughing at her sister's glee, Maya nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. Momiji; Hatsuharu, meet my sister, Juni. The one who didn't say anything is my brother Tomoya," she introduced; Tomoya rolled his eyes, but it was softened by the warm smile on his face. Momiji laughed and waved in greeting; his cousin simply nodded as well, remaining silent as he always did.

"Sis always talks about you guys! I wanted to meet you for so long! I'm so glad you're here!" Juni continued, even as she sat between her siblings and began eating the chocolate ice cream set in front of her by Akemi.

"Now, Juni, dear," her mother said, "Let the boys breath and have their ice cream, aright? You all have lots of time to talk and learn more about each other." Juni nodded and Akemi smiled again, nodding once before heading out. "I'll let you all talk to one another. Call out if you need anything." Her gaze fixed mainly on Maya and the girl nodded, waving to the woman before she disappeared around the corner.

Once everyone was about half way done with their frozen dessert, Tomoya looked up to the Sohma cousins, curious. "Say, I know you guys are in Maya's class, making you second years, but.. have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate?" he asked, tone puzzled. Maya sighed a bit. The boy was friendly enough, but sometimes too focused on school. She had said on more than one occasion that he needed to loosen up more and just have fun with life. Then again, she thought as well, he was going to be in high school shortly himself, and will then have to think of his career afterwards, too.

Amber eyes wide with surprise at the question, Momiji just stared at the brown-haired boy, spoon still in his mouth and everything. But after a moment, he removed it and smiled, shaking his head.

"No, not yet," the blond replied, not at all sounding guilty for it. "But that's okay! School's not over yet; I still have lots of time to think of that!" He turned to Hatsuharu, who seemed out of focus in his own thought. "What about you, Haru? Have you thought about it?"

"Mm-mm," the Cow answered immediately, shaking his head. "I haven't thought about it, either." He didn't sound too worried about it, frankly. He continued eating, allowing his answer to linger in the kitchen for a moment before Juni burst out with her own questions.

"What do you guys like to do for fun? Do you play games? Me and Maya always play Mario Kart when she gets home from school after she does her chores! Do you play it?" The excitement on the little girl's face was as obvious as Momiji's energy constantly was, but like the blond, hers suited her well and she utilized it as she saw fit.

The German boy shook his head, giving Juni a wide but apologetic smile. "No, we don't play games like that," he told her, then added when she looked disappointed, "But we play other games! I know _I _like to play Cops and Robbers, mostly at school with my other friends, though. Oh! And Tohru and her friends are teaching us how to play Rich Man, Poor Man! I'm not that good, but I'll get there!" He stuck his tongue out playfully as he finished; Juni giggled and grinned widely.

"I've played that game before! It's really fun!" she told him. Maya couldn't help but smile; from what she could tell, her family was getting along with Momiji and Hatsuharu, which she was very glad about. She always liked it when her friends and her family could get along and play nice. Even if one of them didn't say much. But that was alright to her. Haru still had that kind of strong presence that said a lot despite him not actually speaking much.

Both Momiji and Juni went on chattering about the things they liked to do and other such things, while Maya, Tomoya and Haru simply listened and made a comment here and there. They had long finished their ice cream and even had a second helping- Momiji had contemplated getting a third bowl, but didn't want to seem too greedy or anything, so he took his time more than usual when he got his second serving. Before long, the clock chimed for five in the evening and Maya's dark eyes suddenly darted up to it, as though she had just remembered something. The others continued on talking and having a good time, paying no attention to her; except for Hatsuharu, ever the observant one. He wondered if there was something she had to have done by now, a chore or something like that, and if she was alright. She looked tense and growing anxious, lips tugged down in a frown and her eyes glimmering with nervousness.

Seconds later, the phone rang, causing everyone to jump, startled. Maya moved as though to stand, but still remained seated, resulting in her in an awkward position of halfway sitting and yet lifted off her seat slightly. Juni and Momiji had paused talking, their attention on Maya finally, and the brunette gave them a weak smile.

"S-sorry," she apologized softly, but didn't sit down properly quite yet. She turned her gaze back to the entrance of the kitchen, as if waiting for something to appear.

"Maya?" Momiji questioned, head tilted and looking at his friend with a bit of worry. Before she could assure him about herself, Akemi came in, a smile on her face. Though, close up, it was obviously fake and a bit strained.

"Maya! I have a favor to ask you, sweetheart," the woman chimed lightly, going to her oldest child and holding out some money to her. "I seemed to have forgotten to get some buns for dinner tonight. Would you be a dear and go get some? Your grandmother is on her way home and you know how she gets when her meal isn't ready on time." Giving a giggle, Akemi adjusted her hair, almost absently. Nodding, Maya fully stood then and accepted the money from her mother.

"Sure, no problem." She turned to look at Momiji and Hatsuharu, a sheepish smile on her face. "Well, I guess this ends us hanging out! I'll walk you guys out and all that," she told them. Neither argued, sensing something was off about the whole exchange. After giving the rest of the family warm farewells and thanks for allowing their visit suddenly, Maya and the cousins were out the door. Juni, of course, whined and protested them leaving, having a fun time talking to Momiji, but in the end, she was left to pout at the door, though still gave them all waves nonetheless.

The three headed down the street, all silent and Maya a bit stiff. Momiji peered up at his cousin and they shared a concerned look; the blond turned his attention back to his friend and frowned a bit. "Maya?" he asked softly, once again tilting his head so he could try looking into her face a bit more. "Are you... okay? Did something happen?" He wasn't trying to pry, but he knew something was wrong and he was just worried for her.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Maya smiled faintly at the Rabbit, eyes dim with sadness. "Well... you probably would have found out eventually, anyway. Might as well tell you now and get it over with."

"If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay," Haru told her gently, though his monotone could have fooled anyone else. Her smile grew a bit and she shook her head, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked slowly, legs moving lazily.

"No, it's alright," she assured him quietly. Falling silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts and how to explain everything to them, she spoke again. "See... my grandmother isn't too soft on me like she is with Juni and Tomoya. It's not because I'm the oldest or anything, or at least, not the entire reason, anyway." Taking a breath to gather more courage to continue, Maya kept her eyes off the boys, opting to instead stare at the sidewalk, still walking along slowly.

"I'm not... biologically related to my mom and my brother and sister. I was adopted..."

Momiji resisted the urge to let out a dramatic gasp; Hatsuharu's eyes widened in surprise, far from expecting that one.


	10. Chapter 10

**This came out faster than I expected lol I feel like it might be rushed, but not really at the same time . Anyway! Maya explains most of her past to the boys this chapter! :D Enjoy!**

**Also, I don't own them or any other Fruits Basket character. They belong to Natsuki takaya, the creator of the wonderful anime/manga series, Fruits Basket. I only own Maya, her family, the plot and a few of the girls in her classroom.**

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><p>"Maya," Momiji began, tone full of regret for bringing the topic up in the first place. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't know-"<p>

She shook her head, the smile fading a bit more. "No, it's okay," she assured the blond again. "It's not something that's easy to see, since I kind of look similar to Mom and Dad, but it's true."

"Well... does that mean Juni and Tomoya are adopted, too?" Momiji questioned, surprised at that thought as well. Juni had seemed a lot like Akemi to him; it would be quite a feat if she and her husband somehow managed to adopt children who looked like them.

"Mm-mm. They're the biological children," Maya replied, beginning to slowly balance on the edge of the sidewalk as they made their way down the curve leading to the row of shops. "They told me, sometime last year, that they'd tried really hard to have kids of their own, but for years, they couldn't seem to. So that's why they adopted me. I was only two and a half weeks old, they said, when they got me."

Momiji's amber hues widened again. "Wow! That's pretty young, isn't it? I can only imagine what your real mom and dad thought when they gave you up. I know I'd be sad if I had to give up my child like that..." His voice trailed off and Haru noticed the dimness in the Rabbit's eyes, clearly thinking about his own mother and how she had chosen to forget about him.

Maya shrugged, nonplussed on the thought herself. "It's no big deal anymore," she told him, getting more and more light-toned about it. "I've been able to make my peace with it since Mom and Dad told me."

"Have you ever met your birth parents?" Hatsuharu couldn't help but wonder, keeping his light gaze on the girl as she chuckled softly and nodded.

"Yeah. I did. I did some searching around for a few months, found they were actually still alive and living nearby, but...I was too afraid to go see them properly at that point..." Maya fell silent. It had been an intense year when she had found out she had been adopted. Akemi and Ryotaro treated her well, like they were her true parents, and she loved them dearly for it. They never once acted like she was only legally related to them and Maya could always feel that every day, even when her grandmother spoke ill of anything Maya did. The thought of the elderly Sakimoto woman put a frown to the girl's face and she sighed softly, returning to the present and what she had been talking about.

"Ah. Right. Um, so I didn't really want to actually physically see my real parents because, well... I was a bit scared they wouldn't want anything to do with me," the brunette admitted softly, biting her lower lip gently at the memories. Momiji and Hatsuharu remained silent, feeling sympathetic toward her. "I didn't think they'd accept that I was still their real daughter, despite the fact that they'd given me up and gave me a chance at a life rather than... the _other_ option they could have went through with." That got a slow nod of understanding from Momiji and a slight head tilt from Haru. Both boys knew what she meant. In the Sohma family, it was difficult to be completely accepted by their own families. Sometimes they found that in other people not even related to them in any way other than the strong bond of friendship.

At this point, the three had stopped walking and Maya leaned against a short wall of concrete formed around a part of the city under construction. She kept her gaze down and continued on.

"But... I finally got the courage to go find them," she explained quietly, foot shuffling slightly in the dirt in front of her. "I mean, I didn't want to go through life with just thoughts of what might have been, y'know? Maybe they'd be happy to see me; maybe they'd want to try and be a part of my life to make up for everything."

"Did they?" Momiji urged, wanting to know that his friend had found happiness about her past. But Maya shook her head, prompting a deeper frown from the German.

"No..." she nearly whispered; remembering how she had gone to her birth mother's work at one of the retail outlets at the mall, Maya had realized then, when she was only fifteen, that her parents had moved on. They even had another child of their own and seemed like a happy little family. Maya had no part of it and she didn't want to break it up for her own selfish desires.

"No," Maya repeated, shaking her head, head ducked down and fingers fiddling together. "When I saw them, I found they had another kid. It hurt a bit, but... they moved on, so I figured I should as well. Clearly they had no desire to meet me and I wasn't about to go against that when I already have a perfectly accepting family of my own. There wasn't any need to mess around with that. So I know of them, but they don't know I know. I haven't given them any direct contact, either. It's best that way, I think. If I did, then they'd have to deal with their past about me."

"But then you're just letting them run away from what they did!" Momiji protested, a pout on his face, despite the serious look in his eyes. Maya just gave her head a shake, dismissing his argument.

"No, I'm letting them get on with their lives. Something I'm doing with Mom, Dad and the rest of my family and school,. They have a right to that, just as I had a right to have my own life, which they gave me. I couldn't ask for more from them," she told him quietly, a smile attempting to form on her lips but failing. Momiji just looked at her, disgruntled but saying nothing more about that.

Silence fell between the three of them and Haru stared into the far distance, trying to think of what to say. But what _was_ there to say about all this? If he apologized, it wouldn't be enough to make up for her childhood, nor did it have the real feeling the Cow truly felt. And it wasn't as though he could just tell her how he understood what it felt to not be accepted by someone related to him. Because if he did, he'd then have to tell her about the Zodiac Curse and that was something the boy refused to do under any circumstances.

So he just went with the next question that was most likely burning in Momiji's mind, but the blond was simply too overwhelmed as it was to speak it.

"So I take it your grandmother knows you're adopted, then," Haru stated, though it was also meant like a question. Maya nodded wordlessly, and he did as well. "And she's the kind who doesn't do well with non blood-related family members."

"It's like because I'm not actually related to Mom and Dad that I need to prove my worthiness in the family more than Juni or Tomoya," Maya sighed heavily. "It's ridiculous and I wouldn't really go along with it, except Grandmother is helping us with bills and stuff at home, and she'd happily take the money away if she didn't like what I was doing." With another sigh, Maya slumped against the concrete ledge, crossing her arms. She knew it wasn't fair at all to be treated the way she was by the woman, but she couldn't let her parents and siblings deal with becoming broke in the future just because Maya didn't want to deal with her grandmother's crap.

"But... why does she do that? Don't your mom and dad care?" Momiji piped up, his expression gone tight with worry for Maya. She gave him a small smile and rested a hand to his head gently.

"They care. They do; they try to make Grandmother be nicer to me, but you know how old people can be, Momiji. It's hard to change their minds once they've made it up."

"I'm sorry," Momiji told her, looking tempted to throw his arms around her in an effort to comfort her. But the Rabbit of course refrained. The last thing they needed was to have him transform into a bunny, after all.

Maya chuckled softly and shook her head, straightening. "It's okay. I've learned to deal with it and to be honest... she's still my family, whether she's hard on me or not. I still care about her in my own way and I _do_ want her happy, even if it means being different at home around her than I am with you guys."

"But that's why she looked at us with that face," Haru mentioned, getting a quizzical look from both teens with him. Shaking his head, the Cow straightened as well and turned his gaze down the street, which was becoming lightened with house and store lights as the sun began setting even further now.

"We should get going," he murmured, looking back to Maya and his cousin. Maya glanced where he had not even seconds ago and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I gotta get home with the buns like Mom wanted, or else Grandmother's gonna be suspicious of why I was out so late," she replied, the smile on her face growing to her usual bright one. Seeing it, the Rabbit began to cheer up as well. She didn't seem to be faking her good mood for their sakes and that thought alone made him happy.

"We'll walk you to the store!" he chirped, grabbing Maya's hand to head toward the convenience store that was a few shops down from the ice cream shop they frequented. Laughing softly, the brunette accepted his offer and sent a smile over to Haru as she followed behind Momiji and the black and white-haired teen walked behind them both.

Maya was a strong girl. That's what the Sohma cousins thought, anyway. She had to deal with such hard truths in her life like being adopted and finding her birth parents had all but forgotten about her in their continuation of making a family of their own. She also had to deal with her grandmother, who was much too hard on her just because she was adopted. Hatsuharu couldn't understand why the woman couldn't just accept Maya in the same way her parents had, or even how the siblings did. He knew some elderly people had their minds stuck in the old-fashioned values and found it rather difficult to go with the changes through their life when it came to society, but he thought this was too much.

However, there was simply nothing he could do. So he decided to do the one thing he thought he could do to make Maya feel better about everything; be the best friend she could have, along with Momiji and the other Sohmas, Tohru and _her_ friends. That was the least she deserved. Perhaps one day, it would let Maya realize that it didn't matter if her grandmother didn't seem to accept her the way she wanted. The girl had other people to call family, with her parents and siblings. Who needed close-minded people like her grandmother when she had them in her life?


End file.
